President John Dramani Mahama has nominated five individuals to serve on Ghana’s Fiscal Council, as part of efforts to strengthen fiscal discipline, promote transparency, and enhance oversight of public finances.
The nominations were announced in a statement issued on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications. They were made pursuant to Section 11D of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), as amended by the Public Financial Management (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1136).
Dr. Emmanuel Oteng Kumah has been designated as Chairperson of the Council. He brings extensive experience as an international economic consultant and former advisor at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where he served for 25 years, including as Division Chief and IMF Resident Representative in Djibouti. He has also previously served as Board Chairman of Standard Chartered Bank Ghana.
Joining him is Professor Patrick Opoku Asuming, who will represent academia. Prof. Asuming is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School, with expertise in development economics, health economics, and policy analysis. His research includes field experiments on health insurance and behavioural responses in Ghana.
Leslie Dwight Mensah has been nominated as the representative from a research think tank, expected to contribute a strong policy-oriented perspective to the Council’s work.
The list also includes J. Kweku Bedu-Addo, a former public policy expert from the Ministry of Finance, and Dr. Henry Akpenamawu Kofi Wampah, a former Governor of the Bank of Ghana and seasoned economist with deep experience in monetary policy and public finance.
The Fiscal Council, established under the amended Public Financial Management Act, is tasked with independently assessing the government’s fiscal policy, monitoring compliance with primary balance and public debt rules, and providing recommendations to promote long-term sustainability in public finances. It replaces earlier advisory structures and is expected to play a key role in evidence-based economic decision-making and accountability.
The nominees are subject to approval by Parliament.