Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson addressed regional and local government authorities in Tamale, demanding a renewed focus on recovering lost public funds and tightening financial controls. The call came during a meeting on the 2025 Auditor‑General’s Report with Regional Ministers and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) under the theme “Recovering Every Cedi.”
Forson warned that waste and mismanagement of public resources directly undermine the delivery of essential services, adding that Ghana could no longer afford to lose money that should be improving the lives of citizens. He said 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. “So, when a cedi is wasted, left uncollected or poorly spent, somebody, somewhere, loses a service,” he added.
The minister urged officials to make the recovery and protection of state funds a routine administrative responsibility rather than a commitment made only at official engagements. “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 stated.
He called on Regional Ministers, MMDCEs and Coordinating Directors to act on the findings of the Auditor‑General, pursue the recovery of funds where necessary and strengthen internal controls to prevent a recurrence of financial lapses. Responsible management of public resources, he stressed, is essential to improving local infrastructure and ensuring that government spending delivers meaningful results for communities.
The meeting was attended by several Regional Ministers, including Northern Regional Minister Ali Adolf John; Savannah Regional Minister Salisu Be‑Awuribe Issifu; North East Regional Minister Ibrahim Tia; Upper West Regional Minister Puozuing Charles Lwanga; Oti Regional Minister John Kwadwo Gyapong; and Upper East Regional Minister Akamugri Donatus Atanga.
In the coming weeks, officials will be expected to submit action plans outlining how they intend to recover and safeguard public funds in their respective jurisdictions.
