Premix Fuel Secretariat, MMDCEs intensify nationwide fund accountability drive

The National Premix Fuel Secretariat (NPFS), in collaboration with Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), is intensifying a nationwide accountability drive aimed at strengthening transparency and financial oversight in the management of premix fuel revenues and the Community Development Fund in Ghana’s fishing communities.

The exercise builds on a pilot accountability programme conducted last year in selected coastal areas, including Shama and Sekondi-Takoradi, where the Secretariat worked with MMDCEs and district assemblies to review the management of premix fuel funds at the community level.

According to officials, the pilot phase demonstrated the importance of district-level collaboration in enforcing financial discipline and restoring public confidence in the system.

Nationwide rollout

Following the success of the pilot programme, the Secretariat is expanding the exercise to cover all remaining coastal and inland fishing communities that were not included in the initial phase.

The next phase will run from 16 to 27 March 2026, covering the Volta Lake, Oti Region, Bono East Region, Savannah Region, Northern Region, Eastern Region, Western Region, Central Region, Greater Accra Region, and the marine areas of the Volta Region.

Central Region LBCs account for GH¢545,513 under premix fuel reforms

Through the expanded engagement, the Secretariat aims to deepen accountability, strengthen local oversight through district assemblies, and ensure that resources generated from premix fuel sales are properly managed for the benefit of fishing communities.

The partnership with MMDCEs, first established during the pilot phase, will remain central to the nationwide rollout, given the key role district assemblies play in coordinating community engagements and enforcing accountability measures.

Audit findings raise concerns

The expanded exercise follows an audit of premix fuel accounts covering the period 2017-2024, which uncovered misappropriation and financial irregularities amounting to approximately GH¢27.7 million under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

The findings have raised serious concerns about the management of funds intended for the development of fishing communities.

Officials say the exercise forms part of broader reforms by the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to recover mismanaged resources and restore integrity to the premix fuel programme.

Former members of Landing Beach Committees who served between 2017 and 2024 will be required to account for their stewardship, while the management of funds by current committees will also be reviewed.

Minister backs initiative

The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, expressed strong support for the exercise, describing it as a decisive step towards restoring confidence in the premix fuel distribution system.

“We are determined to ensure that every pesewa generated from the premix fuel system is accounted for,” she said.

She added that the government remains committed to transparency and value for money in the management of premix fuel revenues and the Community Development Fund.

Protecting funds meant for fishing communities

At the centre of the initiative is the Community Development Fund, which allocates 53 percent of premix fuel sales margins to development projects in fishing communities.

The fund was established to ensure that the premix fuel programme directly supports infrastructure and livelihood improvements in fishing areas.

The Administrator of the National Premix Fuel Secretariat, Ebow Mensah, said the accountability exercise is critical to restoring integrity and transparency in the management of premix fuel resources.

“This exercise is about protecting resources that rightfully belong to our fishing communities and ensuring that they are used strictly for their intended development purposes,” he said.

“The Secretariat is fully committed to strengthening oversight and transparency so that funds generated through the premix fuel programme are properly accounted for,” he added.

He also noted that the Secretariat will continue working closely with district assemblies, MMDCEs, and community stakeholders to enforce compliance with existing regulations and ensure responsible stewardship of the Community Development Fund.

According to him, the renewed oversight measures and stronger institutional collaboration are expected to ensure that proceeds from premix fuel sales are used for genuine community development projects while rebuilding public confidence in the administration of the programme.

Ultimately, the nationwide accountability drive is expected to strengthen good governance within the premix fuel distribution framework and ensure that the programme delivers its intended benefits, improving livelihoods, strengthening local infrastructure, and supporting sustainable development in Ghana’s fishing communities.