A fresh debate over public financial accountability has been triggered after the People’s National Party (PNP) formally petitioned the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to scrutinise the Gh₵78 million allocated to the Office of Government Communication in the 2025 budget.
The allocation, which far exceeds previous budgetary support to the Ministry of Information — despite the communication office not holding ministerial status — has sparked concerns about transparency and prudent use of state funds.
Observers note that the office, led by Minister Felix Ofosu Kwakye, currently oversees three agencies. Yet questions linger about which institutions were reassigned to it, how much funding they previously received, and whether the new arrangement strengthens communication or merely centralises political influence.
The PNP, in its petition, went further to warn that the allocation could be strategically used to bankroll political narratives through media outlets, civil society groups, or influential voices, subtly advancing the governing National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) agenda ahead of the 2026 elections.
Party founder Janet Asana Nabla argued that at a time of economic challenges, the government cannot afford to allow doubts about the use of public resources to grow unchecked.
“Every cedi must be accounted for, especially when young people are unemployed, hospitals under-resourced, and communities without basic infrastructure,” she stressed.
While EOCO is yet to comment on the petition, governance analysts suggest the case may test Ghana’s commitment to transparency in budget execution. They argue that how EOCO responds could either reinforce or weaken public trust in institutions meant to safeguard accountability.
The development has once again placed the spotlight on Ghana’s petroleum- and tax-funded expenditures, as citizens demand not just the passage of national budgets, but visible proof that allocations are aligned with real national priorities.
