The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) has held its 2025 Annual Conference in Ho, in the Volta Region of Ghana.
Hon. Thomas Nyarko Ampem, the Deputy Minister for Finance, delivered the keynote address on behalf of Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson (MP), the Minister for Finance.
In his address, Hon. Thomas Ampem reaffirmed the government’s support for the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD). The Deputy Finance Minister highlighted the crucial role of the CAGD in the government’s ongoing efforts to reset the national economy and reinforce transparency in public financial administration.
Addressing a distinguished audience at the conference—including the Chief of Staff, Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Auditor-General, and other dignitaries—Hon. Nyarko emphasized, “Every Ghanaian Cedi must be well-spent and accounted for,” adding that the economic challenges of recent years demand “unprecedented excellence in Public Financial Management (PFM).”
The Deputy Minister outlined several key reforms introduced within the first four months of the current administration, aimed at tightening fiscal discipline and promoting efficient resource use:
- Amendments to the Public Financial Management and Procurement Acts
- Operationalization of a new fiscal compliance framework
- Comprehensive audit into existing financial commitments and arrears
- Enhanced oversight of State-Owned Enterprises and public investment projects
According to Hon. Nyarko, these measures are designed to curtail reckless spending, reduce inefficiencies, and ensure strict budgetary discipline across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
In a move to improve accountability and enhance fiscal efficiency, the Deputy Minister announced that the government is advancing the full integration of the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS) with the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS). He emphasized that this integration will ensure contract approvals are granted only to projects within approved budget allocations and apportionments.
Hon. Ampem further stated that a payroll cleanup exercise is underway using the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database Phase II. He stressed that the exercise is expected to save the public purse GH₵300 million annually by eliminating ghost names.
To further reduce administrative inefficiencies, Hon. Ampem indicated that a new Digital Treasury Dashboard will be introduced to enable real-time tracking of public fund disbursements. This initiative is expected to reduce waste by at least 15%, he added.
The Deputy Finance Minister also revealed that, as part of the President’s Public Sector Digitization and Fiscal Accountability Agenda, the 2025 national budget has earmarked GH₵48 million to train over 3,200 public financial officers in international financial management practices and digital tools.
He emphasized the government’s plan to roll out an electronic Assets and Liabilities Declaration System in partnership with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Audit Service. This initiative is focused on promoting ethical leadership and greater transparency in public service, stated the Deputy Minister.
Keep following GH Educate for more news and updates
You like to read more stories like this? Follow our channel 👇
