Accra: The Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has instructed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to secure new Commitment Authorisations for their 2026 expenditures. This directive comes as authorisations issued in 2025 have expired and are deemed invalid for current procurement activities.
According to Ghana Web, the Deputy Minister addressed Chief Directors, Heads of Covered Entities, and Chief Executives of Public Institutions during a meeting focused on the modalities for 2026 Commitment Authorisation. He emphasized that all spending for 2026 must adhere to the approved budgetary ceilings. Ampem, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Asuogyaman Constituency, announced that the Ministry of Finance aims for a two-week turnaround to process and approve Commitment Authorisation requests, contingent upon the proper submission of all necessary documentation.
To facilitate the approval process, Ampem instructed that all future requests be routed through the relevant Sector Ministers. To reduce bureaucratic delays, MDAs are also directed to submit copies of their applications directly to the Ministry of Finance, enabling the Ministry to begin processing while awaiting formal referral.
Ampem clarified that MDAs with ongoing projects from 2025, where contracts have been awarded but payments are still pending, must fully disclose these commitments. These obligations will be prioritized as a first charge on the 2026 budgets before any new expenditures receive approval. The Deputy Minister explained that the Commitment Authorisation system was established to prevent public institutions from committing the state to projects without approved budgetary allocations.
He noted that historically, significant financial commitments were made without the Ministry of Finance's knowledge, which substantially contributed to the country's escalating public debt. Ampem stressed the importance of strictly enforcing these measures to curb unauthorized spending. This enforcement is part of a mandatory framework designed to restore budgetary discipline and ensure debt sustainability under Ghana's IMF-supported programme. 'If this country had respected the budget and committed the state only when funds were available, we would not have found ourselves where we are today,' he stated.