Accra: The CEO of the Zongo Development Fund (ZoDF), Alhaji Halidu Haruna, has leveled serious allegations against the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, claiming they left the fund in a dire financial state, with barely enough money to serve the needs of the communities.
According to Ghana Web, in an interview on OnuaTV's Onua Maakye show on Thursday, March 12, 2026, Alhaji Haruna painted a grim picture of the fund's handover when the NDC government took office. He disclosed that the fund's account balance stood at just GHS221, an amount he described as shockingly inadequate for supporting over 4,000 Zongo communities scattered across Ghana.
'The NPP left only GHS221 in the Zongo Development Fund for over 4,000 Zongo communities across the country,' he said. To make things worse, he claimed the fund was left with a huge debt of GHS39 million at the time of transition. Following a thorough audit conducted under the current administration, that figure was significantly trimmed down, reduced to around GHS19,000 after questionable or unjustified claims were weeded out, he stated.
The revelations have sparked fresh debates about fiscal management, accountability in special-purpose funds, and the real impact on marginalized Zongo communities that rely on the ZoDF for infrastructure, education, health, and economic empowerment projects. Many residents and advocates in these areas have reportedly long voiced frustrations over delayed or underfunded initiatives, and this disclosure adds fuel to calls for greater transparency and sustainable resourcing.
Alhaji Haruna, who has been vocal about repositioning the fund to deliver tangible change ranging from TVET scholarships and skills training to community infrastructure, used the platform to highlight the uphill battle his team faces in turning things around. The fund, established to address developmental gaps in Zongo settlements, has in recent months outlined ambitious plans, including partnerships and investment drives, but critics argue that inherited financial burdens continue to hamper progress.