Turf war between the Finance Ministry and Agric Ministry escalates

By
Makay
-
0
623
Ato Forson and Eric Opoku

The Turf war between the Finance Ministry led by Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and the Agric Ministry led by Eric Opoku has escalated further over a GH¢1.677 billion Agriculture funds release.

Reports suggest the dispute began when the Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko announced that GH¢1.677 billion, 85% of non-salary spending, had been released to boost food production and agro-industrialisation.

STOP THAT SCAMMER Verify Numbers on TrustGH

The Finance Ministry has since published official documents confirming over GH¢1.6 billion released to the Food and Agriculture Ministry.

According to the Finance Ministry, the allocation to the Agric Ministry represents 85% of its 2026 budget allocation for Goods and Services and Capital Expenditure.

However, the Ministry of Agriculture quickly countered and disputed the claim, citing February letters capping early spending at GH¢453 million for goods and services, with no new authorisations since.

In a press release by Samuel Hunter, the Media Liaison Officer of the Minister for Food and Agriculture, called for a stop to the infantile propaganda before it explodes.

Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in its release stated, “The attention of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has been drawn to claims by the Ministry of Finance that it has released GH¢1.6 billion, representing 85% of MOFA’s 2026 budget allocation. These claims do not align with the official budget execution documents issued by the Ministry of Finance itself.

On 15th February 2026, the Ministry of Finance issued a Commitment Authorization to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. However, just four days later, on 19th February 2026, the Ministry of Finance issued the 2026 First and Second Quarter Budget Allotment Letter, which explicitly stated that, notwithstanding the contents of the Commitment Authorization, MOFA’s total expenditure for the first half of the year should not exceed GH¢910 million.

More significantly, the accompanying allotment schedule further restricted actual spending between January and June 2026 to approximately GH¢453 million, covering all expenditures, including staff compensation, contract commitments, and operational activities.

The records indicate that only limited allocations were made to key agricultural interventions, including:

* Farmer Service Centres – GH¢172,500,000.00

* Nkokonkitinkiti Programme – GH¢36,747,767.55

* Fertiliser and Certified Seeds – GH¢77,297,026.30

* Feed Ghana Programme – GH¢4,500,000.00

* National Food Buffer Stock Company – GH¢30,000,000.00

* Irrigation Infrastructure – GH¢26,250,000.00

Since the issuance of the allotment letter, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has not received any subsequent communication from the Ministry of Finance authorising additional expenditures that would support the claim that GH¢1.6 billion has been released.

The question, therefore, remains straightforward:

If the Ministry of Finance officially capped MOFA’s spending through its allotment system and has not issued any subsequent authorisation, where exactly is this GH¢1.6 billion figure coming from?

Public financial management is governed by official allotments, cash releases, and actual budget availability—not by public relations narratives or propaganda.

The Ghanaian people deserve transparency, accuracy, and honesty in the management of public finances, particularly in a sector as critical as agriculture and food security.

For the avoidance of doubt, attached are the Commitment Authorization letters issued by the Ministry of Finance, together with the 2026 First and Second Quarter Budget Allotment Letter and the accompanying schedule, which clearly indicate that MOFA’s expenditure ceiling for the first half of 2026 was capped at GH¢910,000,000.

The facts speak for themselves.

See the post below:

Verify Numbers on TrustGH