President John Evans Atta Mills has directed no new project should commence until on-going ones are completed. The new directive is said to be a strict control of government’s spending. Payments for new projects are also to be halted by the directive. The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor announced this at a meeting with sector and Regional Ministers to discuss government spending in Accra on Wednesday. He told his colleagues the President has ordered that all new and on-going projects should be registered with the Public Investment Division of the Ministry of Finance before the end of April this year. According to him, no municipal and district assembly is allowed to sign Memorandum of Understanding for projects, procurement of vehicles, services and equipment unless such mandate has been approved by cabinet and adequate provision is made in the national budget. Dr Duffour said all contracts for the procurement of goods, services and works are to be forwarded to the Attorney-General’s office for review and clearance before such documents are signed. He advised municipal and district assemblies to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, Act 663. Later in an interview with Joy News TV reporter, Eric Curtis Howard, a Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Fifi Kwetey explained the directive from the President is part of efforts to reduce government spending in the run up to the elections and to ensure all government projects are carried out within the confines of the budget to ensure transparency and accountability.