PSAF – L2 – Q13.5 – Financial Statements Analysis

Consolidated Fund of Ashanti
Statement of financial position as at 31 December

2021 GH¢’ 2020 GH¢’
ASSETS
Non-current asset
Property, plant and equipment
Financial assets
Total non-current assets
Current asset
Inventory
Cash and cash equivalents
Current liabilities
Payables
Deposits and trust monies
Total current liabilities
NET ASSETS
FINANCED BY:
Accumulated fund
Non-current liabilities
Domestic debt
External debt

Required:
(a) Prepare a common size statement of financial position for the Consolidated Fund of Ashanti for 2021 and 2022. (10 marks)
(b) Write a report analyzing the common size statement of financial position, discussing the financial position of the Consolidated Fund for 2021 and 2022.

Consolidated Fund of Ashanti
Common size statement of financial position as at 31 December

2022 % 2021 %
ASSETS
Non-current asset
Property, plant and equipment 65.51 64.42
Financial assets 20.15 22.48
Total non-current assets 85.66 86.90
Current asset
Inventory 2.38 1.53
Cash and cash equivalents 11.96 11.57
Total current assets 14.34 13.10
Current liabilities
Payables 9.03 3.77
Deposits and trust monies 8.21 8.99
Total current liabilities 17.24 12.76
NET ASSETS 82.76 87.24
FINANCED BY:
Accumulated fund 15.21 15.91
Non-current liabilities
Domestic debt 34.11 36.89
External debt 33.44 34.44
Total non-current liabilities 67.55 71.33
Total financing 82.76 87.24

Report: Analysis of the Consolidated Fund of Statement of Financial Position
Introduction
This provides a common size comparative analysis of the Consolidated Fund for 2021 and 2022.

Analysis and Discussion
In the case of the assets, as shown with the computation above, it could be observed that Property, Plant, and Equipment (PPE) as well as financial assets are the major assets of the government in the years 2021 and 2022. These two assets represent 86.90% and 85.66% of the total assets in 2021 and 2022 respectively. It could be seen that government investment in both assets slightly decreased in the year 2022.
Again, government investment in inventories represents a smaller proportion of the entire assets in these years.
Cash balance in relation to total assets of the government slightly increased from 11.53% in relation to total assets in 2021 to 11.96% in relation to total assets in 2022. This could mean the government used portions of bank and cash balance for acquiring some PPE and equity investment in 2021, and they yielded some returns in 2022.
On the side of liabilities, domestic and external loans continue to represent a great proportion of government liabilities. They represent 71.33% and 67.55% in relation to total assets of 2021 and 2022 respectively. In 2022, government public debt decreased, probably because some loans matured and were settled. Short-term payables increased from 12.76% in relation to total assets in 2021 to 17.24% in relation to total assets in 2022. This could imply that the government did not honor a greater proportion of its obligations in 2022.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the Consolidated Fund statement of financial position appears strong from 2021 to 2022, but the government needs to strategize to settle the huge public debt.