The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has publicly challenged claims by the Ministry of Finance that it has released GH¢1.6 billion, representing 85 percent of the ministry’s 2026 budget allocation, describing the assertion as inconsistent with official government budget execution records.
In a statement issued on Friday June 5, MOFA called on the Ministry of Finance to provide clarity on the source of the figure, arguing that official budget documents do not support the claim.
The statement, signed by Samuel Huntor, Media Liaison Officer at the Office of the Minister for Food and Agriculture, accused the Finance Ministry of engaging in what it described as “infantile propaganda” and urged government officials to refrain from misleading the public on matters concerning public finances.
According to MOFA, the Ministry of Finance issued a Commitment Authorization on February 15, 2026, outlining the ministry’s budgetary framework for the year.
However, four days later, on February 19, 2026, the Finance Ministry reportedly issued the 2026 First and Second Quarter Budget Allotment Letter, which imposed significant restrictions on MOFA’s spending.
The agriculture ministry noted that the allotment letter explicitly directed that its total expenditure for the first half of 2026 should not exceed GH¢910 million.
Furthermore, the accompanying allotment schedule reportedly limited actual spending between January and June 2026 to approximately GH¢453 million, covering all categories of expenditure, including employee compensation, contractual obligations, and operational activities.
MOFA argued that these official restrictions raise serious questions about how the Finance Ministry arrived at the figure of GH¢1.6 billion allegedly released to the sector.
The ministry also disclosed the amounts allocated to several major agricultural interventions under the approved spending framework.
According to the statement, allocations included:
GH¢172.5 million for Farmer Service Centres;
GH¢36.75 million for the Nkokonkitinkiti Programme;
GH¢77.3 million for Fertiliser and Certified Seeds;
GH¢4.5 million for the Feed Ghana Programme;
GH¢30 million for the National Food Buffer Stock Company; and
GH¢26.25 million for Irrigation Infrastructure.
MOFA maintained that these figures reflect the actual spending ceilings communicated by the Finance Ministry and do not support the assertion that GH¢1.6 billion has already been released.
The ministry stated that since the issuance of the allotment letter in February, it has not received any subsequent communication from the Finance Ministry authorising additional expenditures that could justify the reported release of GH¢1.6 billion.
“As such, the question remains straightforward,” the statement noted. “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?”
MOFA stressed that public financial management must be guided by official allotments, cash releases, and approved budget ceilings rather than public relations narratives.
The ministry further emphasised the importance of transparency and accountability in the management of public finances, particularly within the agriculture sector, which plays a critical role in national food security and economic development.
“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,” the statement said.
To support its position, MOFA indicated that it had attached copies of the Commitment Authorization issued by the Ministry of Finance, together with the First and Second Quarter Budget Allotment Letter and the accompanying expenditure schedule.
The ministry insisted that these documents clearly demonstrate that its expenditure ceiling for the first half of 2026 was capped at GH¢910 million.
“The facts speak for themselves,” the statement concluded.
The development sets the stage for a public dispute between the two ministries over the status of budget releases to the agriculture sector, amid ongoing concerns about food production, agricultural financing, and the government’s broader economic management agenda.
By 1960news.com
