The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has challenged recent claims by the Ministry of Finance that it has released GH¢1.6 billion, representing 85 percent of MoFA’s 2026 budget allocation, describing the assertion as inconsistent with official government budget documents.
In a statement issued by the Office of the Minister for Food and Agriculture, MoFA said the figures being circulated do not align with the Ministry of Finance’s own budget execution records and allotment schedules.
According to the statement, the Ministry of Finance issued a Commitment Authorisation to MoFA on February 15, 2026.
However, four days later, on February 19, 2026, the Finance Ministry released the 2026 First and Second Quarter Budget Allotment Letter, which placed a ceiling on MoFA’s expenditure for the first half of the year.
The allotment letter reportedly stated that MoFA’s total spending between January and June 2026 should not exceed GH¢910 million.
Furthermore, the accompanying expenditure schedule limited actual spending during the period to approximately GH¢453 million, covering staff compensation, contractual obligations, and operational expenses.
MoFA noted that allocations made to major agricultural programmes under the approved schedule included:
- Farmer Service Centres – GH¢172.5 million
- Nkokonkitinkiti programme – GH¢36.75 million
- Fertiliser and certified seeds – GH¢77.3 million
- Feed Ghana Programme – GH¢4.5 million
- National Food Buffer Stock Company – GH¢30 million
- Irrigation infrastructure – GH¢26.25 million
The ministry maintains that since the issuance of the allotment letter, it has not received any additional communication from the Ministry of Finance authorising expenditure levels that would support claims that GH¢1.6 billion has been released.
MoFA therefore questioned the basis of the figure being cited publicly.
“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?” the statement asked.
The ministry stressed that public financial management should be guided by official allotments, cash releases, and actual budget availability rather than public statements that are not supported by documentation.
It further called for transparency, accuracy, and accountability in the management of public finances, particularly within the agriculture sector, which remains critical to Ghana’s food security and economic development.
To support its position, MoFA said it has attached the Commitment Authorisation documents, the 2026 First and Second Quarter Budget Allotment Letter, and the accompanying expenditure schedule, all of which indicate that the ministry’s expenditure ceiling for the first half of 2026 was capped at GH¢910 million.
“The facts speak for themselves,” the statement concluded.
