Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson told regional and local government leaders in Tamale on Wednesday that Ghana cannot afford to lose any public money. “Every cedi already has a job waiting for it,” he said, urging officials to recover lost funds and tighten financial controls.
The meeting convened under the theme “Recovering Every Cedi” brought together Regional Ministers and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to discuss the 2025 Auditor-General’s Report. Forson challenged them to ensure that every cedi collected by the state is properly accounted for and used for approved purposes.
He warned that mismanagement of public resources directly undermines the delivery of essential services. “Public money should translate into tangible benefits for communities, including medicines for health facilities, classroom repairs, improved markets, drainage works and the maintenance of feeder roads,” Forson said. “So, when a cedi is wasted, left uncollected or poorly spent, somebody, somewhere, loses a service.”
Forson pressed officials to treat the recovery and protection of state funds as a routine administrative responsibility rather than a slogan for official engagements. “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 said.
He emphasised that financial accountability must extend beyond mere compliance with audit requirements. Officials must act on the Auditor-General’s findings, pursue recovery of funds, and strengthen internal controls to prevent future losses.
Forson called on Regional Ministers, MMDCEs and Coordinating Directors to address weaknesses that expose public resources to loss. Responsible management of funds, he said, is essential to improving local infrastructure and delivering meaningful results for communities.
Several Regional Ministers attended, including Ali Adolf John of the Northern Region, Salisu Be-Awuribe Issifu of Savannah, Ibrahim Tia of North East, Puozuing Charles Lwanga of Upper West, John Kwadwo Gyapong of Oti, and Akamugri Donatus Atanga of Upper East.
The Finance Minister’s remarks come amid ongoing concerns about financial irregularities in government agencies and local assemblies. By focusing on recovery and protection of every cedi, Forson signals a push for stronger fiscal discipline at regional levels, where much of Ghana’s public service delivery depends on effective resource management.
According to Joy Online.
