Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has dismissed claims of a strained relationship between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) over a disputed GH¢1.6 billion funding release.

He described the controversy as a misunderstanding arising from differences in the interpretation of public finance terminology, insisting there was no conflict between the two ministries.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, July 24, 2026, Dr Forson said the disagreement arose after officials from both ministries referred to different stages of the government's expenditure process.

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“There is no problem. I think it is a misconception that started when the Deputy Minister of Finance, my deputy, made a statement which the Ministry of Agriculture also responded to,” he said.

“But I think the bottom line is that they were all speaking about two different things, and it is coming as a result of a lack of understanding of the terminologies being used by both sides,” he added.

The issue came to public attention in June 2026 after Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko announced that the government had released about GH¢1.6 billion to MoFA, representing approximately 85% of the ministry’s 2026 allocation for Goods and Services and Capital Expenditure.

MoFA, however, disputed the claim, explaining that although the release had been approved, the ministry had not received the full amount cited by the Finance Ministry.

Dr Forson explained that the disagreement stemmed from the distinction between a release and an actual payment under the government's public financial management system.

According to him, a release means funds have been allocated and made available to a ministry within the government's financial system, while payment occurs only after the ministry completes the necessary administrative processes to access the funds.

“One, the Deputy Minister’s statement made reference to releases. Two, the Ministry of Agriculture’s representatives referred to payments. There is a significant difference between releases and payments,” he explained.

He added that budget allocations are estimates based on projected revenue and that ministries may receive releases before completing the processes required to access the actual cash.

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Records from the Ministry of Finance indicate that releases for Goods and Services had reached 94.73% of the approved allocation, while releases for Capital Expenditure stood at 74.66%.

The controversy also sparked speculation because Dr Forson and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku have both been mentioned in discussions about possible future leadership contests within the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

However, Dr Forson rejected suggestions that the matter had political undertones, maintaining that the issue was purely administrative.

The issue with the Agric Minister was a misunderstanding. We have since met and resolved our differences, but the Finance Ministry’s position on the amount released to the Agriculture Ministry remains accurate.

- Ato Forson, Finance Ministerhttps://t.co/mg476NRJRn#JoyNews |… pic.twitter.com/CQvdaiLR96

— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) July 24, 2026