The Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, led by its Chairman, Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw, has engaged the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture and officials of the National Premix Fuel Secretariat (NPFS) over recent audit findings concerning the management of the 53% Community Development Fund (CDF) under the premix fuel programme.
The Committee expressed concerns over findings of under-remittance of the statutory 53% CDF, unauthorized withdrawals, and misuse of funds meant for community development projects. The Chairman emphasized that premix fuel is heavily subsidized to protect fisherfolk's livelihoods and therefore requires the highest level of accountability.
The Committee commended the Ministry and the Secretariat for undertaking a Phase I audit covering the period January 2017 to December 2024, which uncovered some financial irregularities. Members described the audit as a necessary diagnostic step to restore transparency and public confidence in the premix fuel subsidy scheme.
The Committee also welcomed the establishment of the LBC Recovery Account and urged the Secretariat to intensify recovery efforts, including enforcement measures where voluntary repayments fail.
The NPFS Secretariat was directed by the Committee to submit a detailed Management Response outlining timelines for recovery of funds and enforcement actions, to submit quarterly progress reports on recoveries and to intensify monitoring efforts to mitigate further risks of mismanagement.