For decades, Ghana has suffered from a peculiar economic paradox: we are a nation of brilliant plans but inconsistent execution. If you walk through any district, you will likely find a “white elephant” such as a half-completed market, a clinic without a road, or a project abandoned because a new administration. Unfortunately, they are reminders of money spent with no results.
The root of the problem has always been a legal loophole. While the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) was a step forward, it left a gap wide enough for a bulldozer to drive through. It allowed government agencies to secure funding and start projects without ensuring those projects actually aligned with our long-term national development goals. In an era of IMF-backed tightening, this misalignment wastes scarce resources and erodes public trust.
A practical, targeted fix is now on the table: the Public Financial Management (Amendment) Bill, 2026, a Private Member’s Bill sponsored by Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, MP for Ofoase-Ayirebi and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee. This bill seeks to do something simple yet revolutionary: it mandates that planning must come before spending. Known as the “No Plan, No Cash” Bill, it plugs critical gaps without reinventing the wheel. It enforces what should already be common sense: public funds should only flow to projects that align with NDPC-approved development plans.
Let’s begin by putting this into perspective. A 2017 study by Dr Martin J. Williams on over 14,000 local projects from 2011–2013 found that approximately one-third of projects that start are never completed, consuming nearly 20% of all local government capital expenditure. This fiscal waste is of similar magnitude to corruption in road building (24%) or politically motivated misallocation (26%), with social costs including enough lost funds to construct 667 additional three-room schools annually, serving over 73,000 children. Such unfinished projects also undermine public trust and attract criticism from citizens and the media.
Under the current Public Financial Management Act of 2016 (Act 921), Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and District Assemblies can access funds even if their plans have not been approved by the NDPC. The Act mentions “approved plans,” but it does not clearly define what that means, nor does it make NDPC approval a must before a budget can be included or funds spent. Without this legal requirement, the NDPC’s authority has been weakened, and the planning and budgeting process has become fragmented.
As a result, the law does not stop the Finance Minister from including MDA or MMDA estimates in the national budget even if they do not align with NDPC-approved plans. It does not prevent the Minister from issuing warrants for spending on projects that have not been certified, nor does it stop the District Assemblies Common Fund Administrator from releasing funds to assemblies without NDPC approval of their Annual Development Plans.
Ending the “Off-Plan” Era
At the heart of this Bill is giving real power to the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC). For too long, the NDPC has been treated as little more than a “consultative stakeholder,” able to make suggestions but without the authority to enforce them.
Clauses 2 and 3 of the Amendment change that. They make it clear that the Minister of Finance cannot include a Ministry’s or District’s budget estimates in the national budget unless the NDPC has certified that they align with the approved National Development Plan. If a project is not in the plan, it does not make it into the budget. Plain and simple. This provides a safeguard against political whims and ensures that, whether it is Year 1 or Year 4 of an administration, public funds follow the country’s long-term vision.
Accountability by Design: The “No Report, No Money” Rule
One of the smartest features of the Bill is its focus on transparency. Under Clause 4, no agency or district can receive a “warrant” (the actual release of funds) unless they have published their Annual Progress Report from the previous year on their website.
In practice, this creates a kind of “Compliance League Table.” Local assemblies and ministries must show taxpayers exactly what they did with last year’s money before they can access a single Cedi of this year’s budget. For the first time, the law gives the Minister of Finance a clear “stop” button to hold back funds from agencies that are non-compliant or underperforming.
Protecting the Common Fund
The Bill also plugs a major leak in local governance. By preventing the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) from releasing money to assemblies that have not had their plans approved by the NDPC, it ensures that local development stays coordinated. You cannot build a house by letting every mason lay a different foundation. This Bill makes sure all 261 districts are working from the same national blueprint, building toward a shared vision for the country.
A Call to Our Legislators
As a Private Member’s Bill, this proposal represents Parliament exercising its oversight role. This bill is a battle of the State against inefficiency.
What Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah is offering is simple but powerful: a new culture of fiscal discipline. He is giving the Ministry of Finance a legal “shield” to say no to unapproved spending, and giving citizens a clear “window” to see how their money is being used. The passing of the “No Plan, No Cash” Bill is his greatest desire as a public servant, and it offers Ghana a real opportunity to break the cycle of waste and make public funds work for the people.
No Plan, No Cash. No excuses. Pass the Bill. Secure the Future.
By Jibril Salifu
Chartered Marketer and PhD candidate in Nation Branding
