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No contract shall be approved without prior commencement authorisation from Ministry of Finance – Ato Forson

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Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has insisted that no government contract shall be approved without prior commencement authorisation from the Ministry of Finance.

This directive, he said, took effect from April 3.

Dr Forson stated that the Ministry of Finance will no longer carry the weight of fiscal indiscipline alone.

In a post on his X page, he said “At a recent meeting with Chief Directors and senior officials of various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, I delivered a firm directive that takes effect from April 3, 2025: No government contract shall be approved without prior commencement authorisation from the Ministry of Finance.

“This is not business as usual. This is a decisive step to enforce fiscal discipline, ensure accountability, and end the culture of financial recklessness in public administration. It is in full alignment with the recently amended Public Financial Management Act, 2025. I made it unequivocally clear: You cannot award contracts without the express approval of the Ministry of Finance. Every contract must now receive commencement authorisation.  Let me repeat: No commencement certificate, no procurement. This is not merely a bureaucratic process—it is a legal requirement. Any breach of this directive will attract serious consequences.”

He stressed “The Ministry of Finance will no longer carry the weight of fiscal indiscipline alone. If you are a principal spending officer and you violate this directive, you will be held personally accountable.

“I urge all public officials to act with integrity and a deep sense of national duty. We are among the privileged few—we must not continue to subject our people to hardship through negligence or abuse of public resources.  Restoring trust in public service begins with transparency, responsibility, and discipline in implementing the national budget. That journey starts now.”

Dr Cassiel Ato Forson earlier announced that the Government of Ghana is set to introduce a policy requiring all state agencies to procure certain essential goods exclusively from local producers.

The Finance Minister made the point that no country can develop without a strong industrial base, and while trade is important, Ghana must adopt deliberate policies to promote local production, hence, the directive to public sector agencies to procure certain goods locally.

Speaking during a meeting with the leadership of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), on Thursday April 3, Dr Forson stated that going forward, any government procurement from outside Ghana will require special approval from the Office of the President.

“To support our local industries, the government will soon publish a list of items that all public sector agencies must procure locally. This will ensure that government procurement serves as a tool to develop our industries,” he stated.

“Going forward, any government procurement from outside Ghana will require special approval from the Office of the President,” he added.

The finance minister also highlighted the urgent need to curb the smuggling of goods, which he said is crippling local businesses.

He revealed that the government has identified key smuggling routes and will soon announce strict measures to stop the influx of smuggled goods that unfairly compete with locally manufactured products.

As part of the broader industrial strategy, Dr. Forson called for a working session with industry leaders to explore how local businesses can actively participate in the government’s 24-hour economy programme to drive production and economic expansion.

AGI President, Dr. Humphrey Ayim-Darke, welcomed the government’s commitment to supporting local industries. He praised the minister’s budget policies and expressed optimism that continued engagement between government and industry would lead to tangible improvements in Ghana’s industrial sector.

The upcoming mandatory local procurement policy is expected to provide a significant boost to Ghanaian manufacturers, ensuring that government spending contributes directly to the growth of local businesses and the expansion of the national economy.

Source: 3News

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NEIP and MoFA Partner to Boost Poultry Agribusiness Under Adwumawura Programme

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The National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to scale up support for agricultural entrepreneurs through the Adwumawura Programme.

 

The partnership seeks to strengthen Ghana’s agribusiness sector by combining MoFA’s technical expertise with NEIP’s entrepreneurship training initiatives.

 

As part of the agreement, MoFA will provide high-quality poultry feed and deliver technical and field support to programme beneficiaries. NEIP, on the other hand, will equip entrepreneurs with practical business training and essential resources, including hen coops, to help them establish and expand their poultry ventures.

 

At the signing ceremony, officials from both institutions emphasized that the collaboration is tailored to empower small-scale poultry farmers, especially “nkoko nketenkete” entrepreneurs, to create jobs, grow agribusinesses, and contribute to sustainable economic development.

 

The initiative falls under NEIP’s broader Reset Agenda, which is focused on driving innovation, supporting small enterprises, and positioning agriculture as a central pillar of Ghana’s economic transformation.

 

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Commercial Transport Operators Threaten Strike Over Soaring Spare Parts Prices

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Commercial Transport Operators have issued a stern warning to government, demanding immediate action to reduce the high cost of spare parts or risk facing major disruptions in the transport sector.

 

In a statement dated September 9, 2025, the operators said they felt “compelled” to call on the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance, and the Parliamentary Select Committees on Trade, Industry, and Transport to swiftly intervene.

 

They recalled that in March 2025, during engagements with spare parts dealers and government officials, a promise was made to bring down spare parts prices, but nothing had been done since.

 

“Unfortunately, this promise has not been fulfilled, and the prices remain exorbitant,” the operators lamented.

 

The statement further warned: “If immediate action is not taken, we fear that the situation will escalate, and we may be forced to take drastic measures that could disrupt transportation services. We cannot continue to operate under these unsustainable conditions.”

 

They urged the relevant ministries and parliamentary committees to ensure that spare parts dealers adhere to their commitments, stressing that the survival of the transport industry—and by extension, the economy—depends on swift action.

 

“Failure to address this pressing issue will have severe consequences for our industry and the economy as a whole,” the statement concluded.

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GoldBod Unveils Bold Reforms to Transform Ghana’s Mining Sector

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The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Mr. Sammy Gyamfi, has announced sweeping reforms and strategic initiatives to position Ghana’s mining sector as a globally competitive and sustainable industry.

 

Speaking at the maiden edition of the Mining and Minerals Convention at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel, Mr. Gyamfi said the GoldBod was driving a paradigm shift from raw mineral extraction to value retention, with the goal of maximising national benefit from Ghana’s mineral wealth.

 

Between January and August 2025, small-scale gold exports facilitated by GoldBod reached a record 66.7 tonnes valued at $6 billion, surpassing the entire 2024 figure of 63 tonnes worth $4.6 billion. For the first time, small-scale gold exports outperformed large-scale mining exports over the same period.

 

Key reforms announced include:

 

Aggressive licensing reforms to promote responsible sourcing.

 

Scrapping of the 1.5% withholding tax on unprocessed small-scale gold.

 

Introduction of a nationwide traceability system to ensure transparency and compliance.

 

Partnerships requiring large-scale miners to supply 20% of their output to the Bank of Ghana for reserve accumulation.

 

 

To combat illegal mining, the GoldBod has pledged ₵5 million and five Toyota Hilux pickups to enforcement agencies, alongside a program to reclaim 1,000 hectares of degraded forest reserves beginning November 2025.

 

On value addition, Mr. Gyamfi announced plans for a state-owned gold refinery and an ISO-certified Assay Laboratory at Kotoka International Airport. Discussions are also underway to establish a “Gold Village” as a continental hub for jewellery production.

 

Calling for stronger investment, he urged local banks, pension funds, and financiers to channel resources into mining, stressing Africa’s need to transition from raw exports to beneficiation, from middlemen to tech-driven trade, and from youth as labourers to youth as innovators and owners.

 

“Ghana is resetting and Africa is rising. The GoldBod is ready. All we need now is courage and capital. Let us fund the minerals and mining sector differently. Let us transform it together,” Mr. Gyamfi concluded.

 

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