The Ministry of Finance has rejected claims that it withheld ABFA data from the Public Interest and Accountability Committee, insisting that information on petroleum receipts, distribution and the planned use of the funds was explained to the Committee.
The response follows PIAC’s October 21 statement on its 2026 Semi Annual Report, which raised concerns over the absence of information on the utilisation of the Annual Budget Funding Amount.
In a statement issued on Friday, October 23, the Ministry said the omission should not be interpreted as evidence that government refused to provide information.
“The exclusion of ABFA utilisation data from PIAC’s report should therefore not be presented as evidence that the Ministry withheld information,” it said.
ABFA Ring Fenced for Accra Kumasi Expressway
The Ministry said all ABFA realised in 2026 has been ring fenced for the Accra Kumasi Expressway and will be used once the construction contract is awarded.
It cited paragraph 572 of the 2026 Mid Year Fiscal Policy Review as the basis for that arrangement.
According to the Ministry, concentrating the petroleum revenue on one major project also responds to PIAC’s previous recommendation that government should avoid spreading petroleum funds across too many projects with limited measurable impact.
Government has separately said the expressway will be financed without new borrowing, with funding being set aside ahead of construction.
The Ministry said its officials participated in PIAC’s virtual validation workshop and later held physical meetings with the Committee, where the arrangements for petroleum receipts and ABFA utilisation were discussed.
District Assemblies Share to Come From Consolidated Fund
The Finance Ministry also rejected any suggestion that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies had lost their statutory share because the ABFA had been redirected to the expressway.
It said the 5% portion due to the District Assemblies Common Fund is being paid from the Consolidated Fund instead.
“Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies have therefore not been shortchanged by the decision to ring fence ABFA resources for the expressway,” the Ministry stated.
Ministry Promises Continued Disclosure
The Ministry said it would continue supplying PIAC with information required for its oversight of petroleum revenues.
It also pointed to the Annual Report on Petroleum Funds, Petroleum Reconciliation Reports, national budgets and other fiscal publications as channels through which further details on petroleum revenue management will be made public.
The dispute now centres less on whether the ABFA has been allocated and more on whether the information provided to PIAC was sufficient for the Committee to report clearly on how the funds were being utilised during the first half of 2026.
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