The Davis Ansah Opoku has expressed concerns over the funding arrangements for the government’s One Million Coders Programme, cautioning that the current approach could potentially contravene the provisions of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).

Speaking during a parliamentary debate on the 2026 State of the Nation Address, the Mpraeso MP questioned the source of funding for the flagship digital initiative and whether Parliament has been properly informed of the financial framework supporting it.

While acknowledging that the programme is a key pillar of Ghana’s digital transformation agenda, Mr. Opoku said there remains little clarity on how it is financed. He indicated that available information suggests that the National Communications Authority may have been directed to fund the procurement of laptops for the initiative.

“This raises serious concerns under Section 25 of the Public Financial Management Act, which requires that public funds be committed and spent strictly within an approved budget authorised by Parliament,” he said.

He questioned whether the Minister for Finance has formally notified Parliament of any directive requiring the National Communications Authority to fund elements of the programme. “Parliament cannot effectively exercise its oversight responsibility if major government programmes are financed through arrangements not transparently presented to this House,” Mr. Opoku added.

The MP also raised concerns over value for money in the procurement process. According to him, laptops acquired under the programme reportedly cost approximately 14,000 Ghana cedis each, prompting questions about procurement methods and cost justification.

“How many laptops have been procured for this programme? What procurement method was used? Was competitive tendering applied, and what specifications justify the cost of fourteen thousand cedis per laptop?” he asked.

Mr. Opoku stressed that while equipping young Ghanaians with digital skills is commendable, the programme must be executed with transparency, accountability, and strict adherence to Ghana’s public financial management laws.

He urged the government to provide Parliament with full details on both the financing arrangements and procurement processes underpinning the One Million Coders Programme, emphasizing that Ghana’s digital transformation must be grounded in sound financial governance and responsible use of public funds.