Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has announced that the government has paid GH¢24.8 billion to statutory funds since January 2026, in a move aimed at supporting education, healthcare, road maintenance and local development.
The payments cover allocations to the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Road Maintenance Trust Fund and the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).
Other beneficiaries include the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, the Mineral Development Fund (MDF) and the Mineral Income Investment Fund (MIIF).
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Dr Forson said the payments reflected a departure from the delays, capping and arrears that previously affected the release of statutory allocations.
“Unlike in the past, when payments were marked by delays, capping and arrears, we now release these funds on time and in full,” the Finance Minister said.
“This ensures statutory funds have the money they need to provide the essential services required by law,” he added.
The announcement follows the release of statutory funds for the third quarter of 2026.
The allocations are intended to provide funding for public services and development programmes that directly affect the daily lives of Ghanaians, while enabling the institutions responsible to plan and implement their activities.
Under the previous administration, selected statutory funds were capped as part of efforts to increase the government’s flexibility in allocating revenue to competing budgetary priorities.
The Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment Act, 2017 (Act 947) established a framework for limiting transfers to designated statutory funds, with amounts exceeding the applicable ceilings redirected towards other government spending priorities.
The policy was intended to improve the government’s ability to manage public finances. However, it attracted criticism from stakeholders who argued that the restrictions weakened the capacity of statutory funds to finance programmes and meet their financial obligations.
In 2025, the government announced measures to uncap selected funds, including GETFund, the National Health Insurance Fund and the Ghana Road Fund.
The policy was aimed at restoring allocations in line with the applicable statutory requirements and improving the availability of resources for designated public services.
The statutory funds play important roles in financing public services and development projects across the country.
GETFund supports education infrastructure and other interventions, while allocations to the National Health Insurance Fund help finance healthcare services under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The Road Fund provides resources for road maintenance and related activities, while the District Assemblies Common Fund supports development projects and public services undertaken by metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
The government has also highlighted allocations to the Free SHS programme and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund as part of its funding commitments to education and healthcare.
The Mineral Development Fund and Mineral Income Investment Fund support initiatives linked to mineral revenues and investment, subject to their respective mandates.