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Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has announced a tougher stance on protecting public finances, stressing that accountability “will no longer be optional” as government moves to implement key recommendations from the 2024 Audit Report.

Addressing Chief Directors and senior audit officials from ministries, departments and agencies, Dr. Forson expressed concern over recurring financial irregularities that continue to drain national resources and undermine confidence in Ghana’s governance and economic recovery.

“Persistent waste sends the wrong signal about our nation and risks eroding the peace, stability, and confidence we have all worked hard to restore,” he warned.

He noted that many of the infractions cited in audit reports are entirely preventable, urging public sector leaders to treat the issue with urgency. Ghana, he said, “cannot continue to lose scarce national resources through avoidable breaches,” adding that such violations must be reduced “to the barest minimum.”

Dr. Forson also reminded officials of the establishment of specialised financial and economic courts, mandated to prosecute violations of financial laws swiftly. Their creation, he explained, forms part of a broader push to entrench discipline in public financial management.

“This is a new chapter. Accountability will no longer be optional,” he stated firmly.

Reaffirming his commitment to safeguarding the public purse, the Minister stressed that responsible stewardship is not merely an administrative requirement but a national obligation. “Discipline in public financial management is a duty we owe to every Ghanaian,” he said, urging public officials to rise to the challenge.