A public disagreement has erupted between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) over the amount of funding released for agricultural programmes in 2026, with both ministries presenting sharply contrasting accounts of budget execution.

The dispute was triggered by claims from the Ministry of Finance that it has released more than GH¢1.6 billion to MoFA this year, representing approximately 85 percent of the ministry’s allocation for Goods and Services and Capital Expenditure (CAPEX).

According to the Finance Ministry, releases for Goods and Services have reached 94.73 percent, while CAPEX disbursements stand at 74.66 percent, evidence, it says, of strong budget implementation.

The ministry further explained that, with the exception of transfers to the National Food Buffer Stock Company, all requests for funds were initiated by MoFA through the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and processed using standard public financial management procedures.

However, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has rejected the figures, insisting they do not align with official budget execution documents issued by the Finance Ministry itself.

MoFA argues that although it received a Commitment Authorization on February 15, 2026, the First and Second Quarter Budget Allotment Letter issued four days later capped the ministry’s expenditure for the first half of the year at GH¢910 million.

The ministry further contends that the accompanying allotment schedule limited actual spending between January and June to about GH¢453 million, covering compensation, operational expenses and existing contractual obligations.

According to MoFA, allocations under the approved spending framework included GH¢172.5 million for Farmer Service Centres, GH¢77.3 million for fertiliser and certified seeds, GH¢36.75 million for the Nkokonkitinkiti Programme, GH¢30 million for the National Food Buffer Stock Company, GH¢26.25 million for irrigation infrastructure and GH¢4.5 million for the Feed Ghana Programme.

The ministry maintains that it has not received any subsequent authorisation or revised allotment from the Finance Ministry that would support claims that more than GH¢1.6 billion has been released.

Questioning the basis of the Finance Ministry’s figures, MoFA argued that public financial management is governed by officially approved allotments and cash releases rather than public statements.

It said it has attached commitment authorisation and allotment documents to substantiate its position that expenditure was capped at GH¢910 million for the first half of the year.

MoFA's Media Liaison Officer, Samuel Huntor, said the ministry's position is backed by official records and called for transparency and accuracy in the reporting of public financial data.

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Finance Ministry and Ministry of Agriculture in dispute over GH¢1.6bn reportedly released

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