Source: Ebenezer De-Gaulle
The Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI) has welcomed the inauguration of an Inter-Agency Technical Working Group (TWG) by the Ministry of Finance to develop a national framework for managing unclaimed funds in Ghana.
In a press statement issued in Accra on Monday May 25, 2026, ILAPI described the move as a major milestone in addressing the long-standing challenges surrounding dormant and unclaimed financial assets across the country.
According to the policy institute, the initiative follows years of advocacy through its “Next of Kin Project,” which has consistently pushed for reforms in the management and recovery of unclaimed assets.
The Technical Working Group brings together representatives from key institutions including the Ministry of Finance, Bank of Ghana, National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), National Communications Authority (NCA), National Identification Authority (NIA), the Attorney-General’s Department, as well as a private sector technical expert affiliated with ILAPI.
The group has been tasked with developing a unified, transparent and accountable framework to regulate the handling of unclaimed assets in Ghana.
ILAPI expressed concern that billions of Ghana cedis in unclaimed financial entitlements remain inaccessible to their rightful owners due to fragmented systems, inconsistent definitions of dormant accounts and weak tracing mechanisms.
The institute noted that the problem cuts across several sectors including banking, pensions, insurance, securities and mobile money services.
“This situation undermines public confidence in the financial system and denies citizens access to what is rightfully theirs, leading to the cycle of unending family poverty,” the statement said.
ILAPI also commended government’s commitment, as outlined by Deputy Finance Minister Hon. Thomas Nyarko Ampem, to establish verified sector-by-sector data on unclaimed assets instead of relying on estimates.
The institute further welcomed the expanded scope of the working group, which now includes unclaimed lottery and gaming winnings, court-awarded funds, intestacy-related property, public sector salary arrears and unclaimed real estate assets.
According to ILAPI, the initiative will strengthen consumer protection, improve accountability and restore value to rightful beneficiaries.
The institute pledged its continued support for the process through research, advocacy and stakeholder engagement to help ensure transparency, fairness and accountability in the final framework.
