The Minority in Parliament has accused the Finance Minister and the Controller and Accountant General of unlawfully withdrawing GHC1.4 billion from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) account at the Bank of Ghana earlier this month.
According to the Minority, this follows an earlier withdrawal of GHC11.3 million between February and April 2025, an act they say has undermined development initiatives at the local government level.
Speaking to the media on Thursda, 13 November 2025, Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, called on President John Dramani Mahama to intervene immediately.
“Let me thank you for responding to this patriotic call to engage you on a matter that I consider very revealing and important,” Annoh-Dompreh said.
“If you recall, at the presentation of the first budget of this government, the Minister of Finance set out to create an impression that their government was blazing a new path, reviving hope in the district assembly concept and building capacity. Fast forward, it’s becoming clear that that was a deception.”
Annoh-Dompreh alleged that the Finance Ministry and the Accountant General engaged in what he described as “blocking and sweeping” the DACF account.
“So what we see, whether it is connivance between the Controller and Accountant General and the Minister of Finance, is that they engage in what we call blocking and sweeping of the District Assembly Common Fund account,” he said.
He provided a detailed timeline: “Between February, March, and April, the Controller and Accountant General took out some GHC11.3 million and GHC3.2 million from the account of the Common Fund. Several complaints led to the return of GHC3.2 million, but the GHC11.3 million is still outstanding.”
The Minority further claims that on 4 November, the third-quarter DACF payment was released to the account, only to be blocked on 11 November. “Then, on 12 November, they swept the account. The amount involved is some GHC1.4 billion,” Annoh-Dompreh said.
Annoh-Dompreh cited the Supreme Court’s Podo ruling, emphasising that “these payments are constitutional payments. Once they are done, they are not under directives. The Minister of Finance and the Comptroller cannot direct or redirect or reassign these payments. As we speak, it is clear they are micromanaging the funds of the DACF. This is totally unconstitutional.”
He also warned about foreign implications, noting that some DACF funds come from international grants, including Switzerland and Germany.
“The Comptroller, in cahoots with the Minister of Finance, cannot just block these accounts and sweep monies paid for specific purposes. There are implications. Funding could be withdrawn, and assemblies would suffer.”
The Minority urged President Mahama to intervene, describing the alleged actions as a violation of constitutional provisions under Chapter 13. “It is ironic that you are paying with one hand and taking the money with the other,” Annoh-Dompreh said. “This is an insult to the intelligence of the Ghanaian people.”
He added that if the issue is not resolved, the Minority will raise it on the floor of Parliament under Order 93(1), framing it as a matter of public importance.
“The Comptroller cannot take these actions without the blessings of the Minister of Finance. If the Minister is unaware, he will have to come and defend himself,” Annoh-Dompreh added.
The Finance Ministry and the Office of the Accountant General have not responded to these allegations.
