ACCRA, Sept 8 - Ghana’s new Value for Money Office is designed to oversee major government spending, ensuring that funds are wisely committed and contract prices are not inflated. The office will issue clearance for significant projects, including some contracts worth about $10 million or more.
Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson stated that the system could reduce contract inflation and waste by 10% to 15%, potentially saving Ghana about GHS3 billion annually. Full operations are planned for 2027.
President John Dramani Mahama appointed Dr Abdul-Baasit Aziz-Bamba as Acting Director-General of the office on Sept 8. His salary remains undisclosed. Aziz-Bamba is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana School of Law, holding an SJD and LLM from Harvard Law School. He has experience with the World Bank, Britain's DFID, and Ghana's Attorney-General's office.
Aziz-Bamba was also involved in Mahama's election battles. In 2013, he was one of Mahama's lawyers during the Supreme Court challenge against Mahama's 2012 election win, which was eventually upheld.