The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) has conducted inspections of selected projects funded with petroleum revenues in the Eastern and Northern Regions of Ghana. This activity forms part of the Committee’s statutory mandate to independently monitor and evaluate the management and use of petroleum revenues, as provided for under the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (PRMA), 2011 (Act 815) as amended.
The projects inspected were contained in the data submitted by the Ministry of Finance, providing details of petroleum revenue disbursements through the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA).
The inspections were carried out simultaneously by two separate PIAC Teams in the Eastern (Upper Manya Krobo and Asuogyaman Districts) and Northern (Mion and Yendi Districts) Regions from Sunday, 22nd to Friday, 27th June 2025. In each of the Districts, the Committee was accompanied by officials from the respective Assemblies.
In the Upper Manya Krobo District, the Committee inspected the construction of a rural market project, which received GH¢169,516.27 from the ABFA in 2024. While the market sheds and warehouse had been completed, the mechanised borehole had not been constructed. There were visible leakages and signs of algae were present on the sheds. Despite these conditions, market activity was ongoing under the sheds, raising health and safety concerns.
The second project inspected was the Mensah-Dawa Apimsu-Asesewa Feeder Road Project. The road project with an allocation of GH¢1,000,000.00 in 2024, was found to have only concrete drains completed. Road surfacing had not commenced, and the Contractor was not on site. The Team drove along the rough terrain to appreciate the challenges faced by commuters.
In the Asuogyaman District, the Team inspected the Kwanyako Asuogyaman CHPS Compound, funded between 2020 and 2023 with a total amount of GH¢2,617,167.67. The project was completed and was in use. Staff accommodation was also ready for occupation. The Committee commends the government for the quality and completion of the project.
The Akosombo-Adumasa-Gyakiti Road, supported with GH¢2,337,410.11 from the ABFA in 2024 was also inspected. The Team observed that work was ongoing but had been intermittently stalled due to delayed payments and recent rainfall. Grading work was underway during the inspection with the Contractor on site.
In the Yendi Municipality in the Northern Region, the Gamandze-Paansiya Link Road Project funded from 2019-2023 with GH¢992,851.93 from the ABFA was flagged for significant discrepancies. Though official data indicated that earthworks, gravel surfacing and culverts had been completed, only earthworks were done at the time of the inspection. Community members reported flooding during rainy seasons, causing disruption and safety risks, as a result of the non-completion of the project.
The Yendi-Saboba Road which had received an ABFA amount of GH¢4,460,120.24 from 2022 to 2023, showed signs of deterioration, with deep potholes and cracks. The Team gathered reports from residents in Wambu that the Contractor had not been on site since 2019.
In the Mion District, the Committee inspected two small dam projects. The Nanvili and Sakoya dams which had received an amount of GH¢626,725.44 from the ABFA in 2019, had structural defects, including a low embankment and poor excavation. The dam in Sakoya, a vital source of water for domestic use and irrigation during the dry season, was affected by erosion and poor water retention.
The construction of the Manyini and Sambu dams received an ABFA amount of GH¢557,903.30 from 2019 to 2020. Some residents interviewed indicated that the Sambu dam was constructed over 50 years ago by the Community. The Contractor of the Sambu dam had done minor embankment levelling and a rock barrier at the site of the dam. As a result, water overflows into the community when it rains.
The inspection of the ABFA-funded projects brought up concerns for redress. These include contractors abandoning projects due to poor supervision, and delays in contract payments. These issues continue to hinder progress and compromise the quality of infrastructure delivery.
PIAC expressed concern over the state of the projects inspected and emphasised its resolve to intensify efforts to ensure the public is well-informed about projects funded by the ABFA.
The Committee reaffirmed its commitment to promoting transparency and accountability in the management of Ghana’s petroleum revenues and will continue to report on the use and impact of these funds through its statutory reports and public engagements.
SOURCE: PIAC COMMUNICATIONS