President John Dramani Mahama has nominated five distinguished individuals to serve on Ghana’s newly constituted Fiscal Council. The announcement, made on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, signals the government’s firm commitment to entrenching fiscal discipline and transparency in the management of the country’s economy.
The nominations were communicated through a statement issued by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the President’s Spokesperson and Minister for Government Communications. According to the statement, the appointments were made pursuant to Section 11D of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), as amended by the Public Financial Management (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1136).
Leading the pack of nominees is Dr. Emmanuel Oteng Kumah, who has been designated as Chairperson of the Council. A seasoned international economic consultant and adviser, Dr. Kumah brings with him a wealth of experience drawn from his time at the International Monetary Fund and his tenure as former Board Chairman of Standard Chartered Bank Ghana.
Joining him is Associate Professor Patrick Opoku Asuming of the University of Ghana Business School, nominated to represent academia on the Council. A development economist with a PhD from Columbia University, Prof. Asuming has published extensively on health economics and public policy in Ghana, making him a fitting voice for evidence-based fiscal governance.
Rounding out the nominees are J. Kweku Bedu-Addo, a former public policy expert from the Finance Ministry, and Dr. Henry Akpenamawu Kofi Wampah, who brings deep central banking experience to the table. Dr. Wampah previously served as Governor of the Bank of Ghana from 2013 to 2016, an appointment made by President Mahama during his first term in office.
The Fiscal Council itself is a product of the 2025 amendment to the Public Financial Management Act, which repealed the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2018 (Act 982) and replaced the Presidential Fiscal Advisory Council that had been in place since 2018. Under the amended law, the Fiscal Council is established as an independent statutory body with the mandate to supervise the government, particularly the Ministry of Finance, in the application of fiscal rules. Notably, the law bars members from holding any position within government, a deliberate measure to protect their independence and ensure impartial oversight.
All five nominees are subject to parliamentary approval before the Council becomes operational. Once inaugurated, the Fiscal Council is expected to play a critical role in promoting transparency, accountability, and prudent economic decision-making, helping to ensure that Ghana’s hard-won fiscal gains are sustained well into the future.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com