CLOGSAG Rejects Proposal to Make CAGD Independent, Calls Recommendation Problematic
The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) has strongly opposed a recommendation by the Constitutional Review Committee to convert the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) into an independent or hybrid constitutional office.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Wednesday, a member of CLOGSAG’s Review Committee, Daniel Appiah, described the proposal as “problematic and challenging.” He argued that the CAGD currently operates effectively as an implementing agency under the Ministry of Finance and should remain there to maintain proper fiscal coordination.
CLOGSAG’s Executive Secretary, Bampoe Addo, echoed the position during a press conference in Accra on the same day. He warned that making the department independent could lead to institutional confusion and weaken Ghana’s financial management systems.
“The mandate of the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department falls squarely within the functional oversight responsibilities of the Ministry of Finance,” Mr Addo stated.
Mr Appiah further explained that the 1992 Constitution already provides clear guidelines for appointing heads of public service institutions. He pointed to the example of the Audit Service, where the Auditor-General is appointed on the advice of its governing board, as proof that existing safeguards are sufficient.
He criticised the Constitutional Review Committee for not clearly identifying any specific problem the recommendation is meant to solve.
“The Constitutional Review Committee has not stated any problem for which they have come out with recommendations concerning the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department,” he said. “In the absence of any clearly defined problem, one cannot logically accept the solutions that they have proposed.”
While he acknowledged that many of the CRC’s other recommendations could help Ghana move from an electoral democracy to a more development-focused nation, Mr Appiah insisted that any reform must be based on well-defined institutional gaps rather than broad or unclear proposals.
The stance from CLOGSAG adds to growing debate over the future structure of key public financial institutions in Ghana. The association has called on policymakers to preserve the current arrangement under the Ministry of Finance to ensure coherence, accountability and effective oversight of public funds.
