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Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has called on government officials at the regional and local levels to intensify efforts to recover lost public funds, safeguard state resources and strengthen financial accountability.
Addressing an engagement on the 2025 Auditor-General’s Report in Tamale, Dr Forson said Ghana could not afford to continue losing public resources through waste, poor financial management and failure to collect funds due to the state.
The meeting, held under the theme “Recovering Every Cedi,” brought together Regional Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and other local government officials to discuss measures to improve compliance, strengthen accountability and ensure that public funds are used for their intended purposes.
Dr Forson emphasised that every cedi of public money must serve a meaningful purpose, noting that the effective management of state resources directly affects the quality of services available to citizens.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Ghana does not have the luxury of wasting public resources. Every cedi already has a job waiting for it,” he said.
He explained that public funds could be used to provide medicines, rehabilitate classrooms, improve drainage systems, develop markets and maintain feeder roads, warning that any money wasted or left uncollected ultimately deprives communities of essential services.
The Finance Minister urged public officials to translate the theme of the engagement into concrete action rather than treating it as a mere slogan.
“That is why ‘Recovering Every Cedi’ cannot remain just a slogan on today’s banner. It must become a way of working: collect what is due; protect what is collected; spend what is approved; account for what is spent; recover what is owed; and prevent it from happening again,” he stated.
Dr Forson further stressed that accountability in public financial management goes beyond meeting audit requirements, describing it as a critical measure for ensuring that government expenditure delivers tangible benefits to the population.
He said public spending must be reflected in improvements in education, healthcare, roads, markets, drainage infrastructure and other essential services that support local development.
To achieve this, he called on Regional Ministers, MMDCEs and Coordinating Directors to pay close attention to findings in the Auditor-General’s Report, take corrective action where irregularities are identified, recover outstanding amounts and strengthen internal controls to prevent similar financial losses.
The engagement was attended by several Regional Ministers, including Northern Regional Minister Ali Adolf John; Savannah Regional Minister Salisu Be-Awuribe Issifu; North East Regional Minister Ibrahim Tia; Upper West Regional Minister Puozuing Charles Lwanga; Oti Regional Minister John Kwadwo Gyapong; and Upper East Regional Minister Akamugri Donatus Atanga.
The meeting forms part of efforts to reinforce financial discipline across regional and local government structures and ensure that public resources are properly managed, accounted for and directed towards national development priorities.