At a recent meeting with Chief Directors and senior officials across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, I issued a clear and uncompromising directive that takes effect from April 3, 2025:
No government contract shall be approved without prior commencement authorisation from the Ministry of Finance.
This marks a definitive shift in our approach to public financial management. It is not business as usual. It is a firm step toward enforcing fiscal discipline, promoting accountability, and ending the pervasive culture of financial recklessness in public administration.
This directive aligns fully with the recently amended Public Financial Management Act, 2025.
Let me be unequivocal: No contract may be awarded without express approval from the Ministry of Finance. Every contract must receive commencement authorisation before it proceeds.
To be clear: No commencement certificate, no procurement.
This is not a procedural formality—it is a legal obligation. Any breach of this directive will attract serious consequences.
The Ministry of Finance will no longer bear the burden of fiscal indiscipline in isolation. Principal spending officers who violate this directive will be held personally accountable.
I urge all public officials to act with integrity and a profound sense of national responsibility. We are entrusted with the public’s resources—it is our duty to ensure they are used wisely and transparently.
Restoring trust in public service begins with transparency, responsibility, and discipline in the implementation of the national budget. That journey starts now.
