GACC to Akufo-Addo: Act on findings in AG’s report
The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has urged the President, Nana Akufo-Addo to act on key findings and take pragmatic steps to implement recommendations in the 2020 Auditor General’s report.
This is to save the country huge sums of money that it loses and curtail the number of irregularities committed by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
Addressing the president at the Jubilee House on August 18, the Chairman of GACC, Nana Osei-Bonsu, indicated that the Auditor General’s report showed consistent mismanagement and abuse of public funds over the years.
The GACC delegation paid a courtesy call on the president and asked the government to take drastic measures to tackle the issue immediately.
The reports showed a number of financial infractions committed by various MDAs and MMDAs including cash payroll irregularities, procurement, tax irregularities, stores irregularities and contract irregularities.
These irregularities resulted in a sum of GH₵12,856,172,626, a situation, Nana Osei-Bonsu, said continued to plague the nation’s finances, and hindered the implementation of development projects.
“For example, the Report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana – Public Boards, Corporations and Other Statutory Institutions for the year ended 31st December 2019 shows that the six forms of irregularities listed above cost the country up to GH¢608,670,447,” he said.
“There is a more worrying picture in the subsequent report of the Auditor General, which is the “Report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana-Public Boards, Corporations and other Statutory Institutions for the Year Ended December 31, 2020.” According to the Auditor-General, the total irregularities stood at GH¢12,856,172,626, higher than the figures recorded for 2019,” the GACC chairman added.
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Aker Deal
On the alleged leaked audio of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) planning to oppose the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC)’s quest to purchase stakes in Aker and AGM, Nana Osei-Bonsu said that the GACC only sort to express some misgivings on the $1.1bn deal that has already received the green light from parliament to proceed.
“Our underlying interest in this conversation is to help government fashion out a strategy that achieves government’s objective for the most value for money. We are not in any way opposed to increasing the government’s stakes in natural resource ownership.
It is our considered opinion that a pause to reflect and engage with citizens and other industry experts will shape your vision for the oil sector,” Nana Osei-Bonsu said.
President Akufo-Addo pledges to act on Auditor General’s recommendations
President Akufo-Addo welcomed the suggestions and recommendations tabled by GACC. He noted that the Auditor General’s comprehensive report would be given the necessary attention it deserves.
The president observed that the circumstances leading to the exit of the former Auditor General, Daniel Domelevo, occasioned his decision to allow the current occupant of the office to remain in an acting capacity to settle in the space.
He added that his administration has initiated the process expected to lead to Akuamoah Asiedu’s confirmation as the substantive Auditor General soon.
Other matters
Akufo-Addo also responded to the several other issues raised by the GACC such as the state of the country’s corruption fight, limitations of the 1992 Constitution, the election of MMDCEs, the legalisation and extension of multiparty elections to the local Assemblies and the Chief Executives’ offices.
Other issues included the devolution of more power and resources to the Regions, the Districts, and the communities in the country.
The GACC
GACC exists to promote anti-corruption efforts and integrity through sustained and effective coordination of state and non- state actors, strategic partnerships, as well as mobilising citizens and citizen groups.
The coalition has over the years received support towards the implementation of its project activities to pursue its vision, which is “a corruption-free Ghana”.
Current funders include William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and Oxfam Ghana.
GACC member institutions
The members of GACC include the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Centre for Democratic Development, Ghana (CDD), Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).
Others are the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Ghana Conference of Religions for Peace (GCRP), Commonwealth Human Right Initiative (CHRI).
The Good Governance Africa (GGA), Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Ghana Audit Service (GAS), and Private Enterprise Federation (PEF), are also part of the institutions of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition.