By Adnan Adams Mohammed
President John Dramani Mahama has named Harvard-trained legal scholar Dr. Abdul-Baasit Aziz-Bamba as the Acting Director-General of the newly established Value for Money Office, marking a major step forward in the administration’s push to curb state waste and enforce spending discipline.
The high-profile appointment, announced by the President’s Spokesperson and Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, places the former University of Ghana law lecturer at the center of Ghana’s overhauled public finance oversight framework.
”The appointment was made pursuant to Article 195(1) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 14(1) of the Value for Money Office Act, 2026 (Act 1172),” Kwakye Ofosu stated in the official announcement.
Dr. Aziz-Bamba takes the helm of the institution in a temporary capacity as the administration completes the constitutional formalities required for a permanent tenure.
”Dr. Aziz-Bamba will serve in an acting capacity pending the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the Governing Board, in consultation with the Public Services Commission,” the statement noted.
Established under Act 1172, the Value for Money Office was created to act as a rigorous filter for public spending, designed specifically to audit government contracts, prevent project cost inflation, and eliminate systemic inefficiencies before state funds are disbursed.
Highlighting the importance of bringing an academic and legal heavyweight onto the team, the Presidency expressed confidence that Dr. Aziz-Bamba’s background would give the office the teeth it needs to safeguard the public purse.
”His appointment marks an important step towards operationalising the Office, strengthening scrutiny of public spending, curbing waste and ensuring that public expenditure delivers tangible benefits to Ghanaians,” the statement added.
With his appointment, the state moves to bring the specialized oversight body into full operation, signaling tighter checks on government procurement and capital projects across all sectors.
