The Legal Green Association (LGA) of the Ghana School of Law has called on the government to ensure that the newly announced Value for Money Office (VfMO) becomes a catalyst for strengthening Ghana’s long-neglected culture of maintenance.

The appeal follows the presentation of the 2026 Budget Statement on November 13, 2025, in which the Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, announced the establishment of the VfMO as an independent body to ensure that public spending delivers measurable value.

According to Dr Forson, the office will verify the economic and technical soundness of major projects, assess whether cost benchmarks are met, demand measurable results from MDAs and MMDAs, and publish performance reports accessible to citizens and Parliament.

The VfMO is expected to participate in every stage of project delivery — from pre-award assessments to post-completion evaluations — with the goal of reducing waste, improving accountability, and freeing fiscal space for investments in infrastructure and social services.

Weak maintenance culture remains a national concern

In its statement, the Legal Green Association said the new office could help reverse Ghana’s persistent failure to maintain public infrastructure — a problem that continues to burden the economy and erode public confidence.

The association cited examples including the deterioration of the Essipong Stadium, the long-neglected "GEE" blocks of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, and the deteriorating conditions at the National Theatre, Cape Coast and Baba Yara stadiums, the Lower Volta Bridge, and Efua Sutherland Park. Such neglect, the group argued, results from poor oversight, insufficient budgeting, and an absence of long-term maintenance planning.

According to the LGA, the consequences are severe: increased repair costs, reduced tourism potential, safety risks, and the erosion of national assets that should support development.

VfMO seen as opportunity for reform

The association said the creation of the VfMO offers a rare opportunity to institutionalise post-project assessments and ensure that every public facility receives proper upkeep.

It urged that maintenance oversight must become a permanent feature of the VfMO’s mandate:

“Post-assessments should not be merely a passing phase but an essential responsibility that holds facility managers accountable,” the statement emphasised.

Recommendations to strengthen the office

To support the VfMO’s effectiveness, the Legal Green Association recommended:

1. Full Legal Independence:
   The office should be backed by legislation guaranteeing statutory autonomy, secure tenure for officeholders, and explicit sanctions for non-compliance.
2. Enhanced Whistleblower Protections:
   The association called for stronger anonymity and incentives under the Whistleblower Act to encourage reporting of maintenance failures and misuse of public funds.
3. Mandatory Training for Local Authorities:
   The LGA urged compulsory VfMO-led capacity-building programmes for MMDAs to ensure nationwide standardisation and compliance.

Budget praised, implementation key

The LGA described the 2026 Budget as “one of the most comprehensive development blueprints in recent years”, but stressed that its success would depend on legal safeguards, institutional accountability, citizen participation, and environmental considerations.

The association reaffirmed its commitment to promoting responsible governance through legal research, civic education, and advocacy.

The statement was jointly signed by Festus Matey, Leader of the LGA, and Evans Mawunyo Tsikata, Politics and Elections Affairs Officer of the Association.