Oppong Nkrumah pushes for ‘No Plan, No Cash’ Bill to strengthen fiscal discipline
4th March 2026
The Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has announced plans to introduce the Public Financial Management (Amendment) Bill, 2026, a Private Member’s Bill aimed at tightening the fiscal framework and ensuring that public expenditure aligns strictly with national development priorities.
Speaking at a consultative forum with stakeholders, Oppong Nkrumah outlined the purpose of the bill, which he and other Members of Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee have informally dubbed the “No Plan, No Cash” bill.
He said, “There is room today for institutions to spend on projects they consider important, even though those projects have not been included in the strategic plan certified by the NDPC.
This amendment seeks to deny funding for such projects until they are properly planned, captured and approved.”
The bill is designed to plug persistent loopholes in the current Public Financial Management Act, 2016, where Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) sometimes access government funds for projects not part of certified national plans.
According to proponents, this practice has led to duplication of projects, fragmented implementation, and a disconnect between spending and national priorities.
At the heart of the amendment, Oppong Nkrumah emphasized, is the principle that development planning must precede spending, not follow it.
“The bill consciously promotes efficient resource allocation and enhances accountability across all levels of government,” he stated, noting that each cedi spent would now be tied to a plan approved by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC).
The Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the bill as a key opportunity to strengthen Ghana’s budgeting architecture and fiscal discipline, explaining that NDPC approval would become a prerequisite for budget inclusion, expenditure warrants, and fund releases.
The bill, if enforced, the measure could mark a shift from reactive budgeting to plan-led expenditure, reducing waste and improving transparency.
Economically, the implications could be significant.
The fiscal space remains tight despite recent improvements in macroeconomic indicators. By preventing funds from being released for unplanned projects, the amendment could save up to 30 per cent of national project funding from wasteful expenditure, freeing resources for capital investment, reducing borrowing needs, and easing pressure on the public purse.
Implementation, however, remains critical.
Experts caution that robust enforcement mechanisms must be put in place, and that technical capacity at local government planning units may need strengthening to meet stricter compliance standards.
Stronger alignment between planning and budgeting is also expected to improve investor confidence, with development partners, including the World Bank, long emphasizing the importance of credible budgets and transparent expenditure controls in sustaining reform programs.
Oppong Nkrumah stressed the consultative nature of the proposed law, saying, “Parliament recognizes the value of broad consultation in shaping legislation that is practical and enforceable.”
He further noted that the bill would not restrict genuine contingencies or emergency interventions but would strictly bar projects that are neither emergencies nor part of certified strategic plans from receiving funding.
However, as Ghana continues to manage fiscal constraints while seeking to align spending with its long-term development vision, the Public Financial Management (Amendment) Bill, 2026 is poised to become a landmark initiative. By embedding fiscal discipline, plan-led expenditure, and institutional accountability, the bill seeks to ensure that public resources serve a coherent national strategy rather than fragmented institutional priorities.
The Private Member’s Bill will soon be tabled in Parliament for debate and approval, setting the stage for potentially transformative reforms in how public funds are planned, allocated, and spent across Ghana.