Missing Millions: PIAC Struggles to Track GH¢21m Petroleum Projects in Ayawaso West

Ghana's Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) has raised fresh accountability concerns after failing to trace four petroleum revenue-funded projects valued at approximately GH¢21 million during a recent field inspection in the Ayawaso West Municipality. The inability to locate and verify these projects highlights persistent governance gaps in how centrally-implemented development initiatives are tracked and communicated to local authorities.

During a physical verification exercise spanning petroleum revenue allocations from 2012 to 2024, PIAC inspectors managed to identify and assess only seven of eleven planned projects. Three completed road infrastructure schemes and a health facility were successfully verified, but four substantial projects—including emergency road rehabilitation works, drain construction, and motorway slip road upgrades—could not be located or assessed.

The Verification Challenge

PIAC Executive Secretary Isaac Dwamena explained that inadequate project information and vague descriptions severely hampered the inspection process. The Committee had formally requested detailed data from the Ministry of Roads and Highways three weeks before the site visit, seeking contractor names, contact information, and project specifications. However, the ministry had not responded by the time inspectors arrived in Ayawaso West.

Among the unlocated projects were a concrete drain construction at East Legon valued at GH¢3.35 million, emergency road rehabilitation works costing GH¢3.9 million, road resealing initiatives worth GH¢1.5 million across Ayawaso West and Ga Central, and the Boundary Road and Motorway Slip Road projects estimated at GH¢12 million. These projects were attributed to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing and the Ministry of Roads and Highways as implementing agencies.

Crucially, Dwamena stressed that PIAC could not conclusively state the projects do not exist. Rather, the Committee lacked the foundational information required to locate and assess them—an important distinction that underscores systemic communication failures rather than project non-existence.

Why It Matters for Ghana

This verification failure exposes critical weaknesses in Ghana's petroleum revenue management framework. Oil revenues are constitutionally dedicated to specific developmental purposes, and PIAC's mandate to monitor their use is central to ensuring public resources benefit Ghanaians transparently. When centrally-implemented projects cannot be tracked by local authorities or oversight bodies, it creates accountability blind spots and raises questions about whether funds reach intended beneficiaries.

The incident also reveals a disconnect between national and subnational governance. Mr Gordon Domayele, Ayawaso West Municipal Coordinating Director, pointedly noted that central government often implements projects within municipal jurisdictions without adequate information-sharing with local authorities. This coordination failure prevents assemblies from effectively monitoring development within their own areas and weakens overall project oversight.

For citizens and taxpayers, opaque project implementation undermines confidence in government efficiency. When GH¢21 million in allocated funds cannot be readily verified, it fuels concerns about whether money is being properly deployed or monitored for value.

Moving Forward

PIAC's inspection findings reinforce ongoing calls for stronger institutional coordination. The Committee's work—mandated to assess value for money and promote transparency in petroleum revenue management—depends on proactive engagement from implementing ministries. Enhanced information protocols, contractor documentation, and communication between central and local government could significantly improve monitoring capacity.

The Ayawaso West inspection forms part of PIAC's broader stakeholder engagement strategy to validate how petroleum revenues are deployed across Ghana's regions. As the country continues managing its oil wealth, strengthening these accountability mechanisms remains essential for maintaining public trust in resource management.