Political scientist Dr. Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr has said no minister should have personal discretion over the release of approved budgetary allocations, insisting that government spending must strictly follow established procedures.
Speaking on Joy News in the wake of debates over agricultural funding, the UPSA lecturer stressed that ministers operate strictly within mandates assigned to them and are not empowered to override approved financial processes.
“No minister is above the authority entrusted in him or her,” he stated.
He specifically addressed concerns around the role of the Finance Ministry, arguing that approval of funds does not give the minister the liberty to decide selectively what is released or withheld.
“The fact that you are finance minister doesn’t mean that you choose to release what you want and what you don’t. You don’t have that luxury,” he said.
His comments come amid ongoing questions over conflicting accounts between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture regarding the disbursement of funds for agricultural programmes.
Dr. Bomfeh maintained that effective governance depends on adherence to rules and institutional mandates rather than individual judgement or discretion.
