Speed Up Investigation Into Corruption Allegations in MDAs - Auditor-General Urges Police

By Jonathan Donkor

in News /

Mr Daniel Yaw Domelevo, Auditor-General

The Auditor-General has asked the Ghana Police Service to expedite action on the investigation and prosecution of some corruption allegations at various Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs).

In a special report on Surcharges and Disallowance submitted to Parliament, it said speeding up enquiry into the cases that were captured in Auditor-General Reports from 2013 to 2017, would help improve justice delivery.

"The attention of the Inspector-General of Police is, therefore, being drawn to these matters for the Police to speed up investigation and possible prosecution to enhance justice delivery" the report submitted by Mr Daniel Domelevo, the Auditor-General said.

According to the report, 14 corruption allegations in the MDAs, captured in the aforementioned reports were reported to the police, out of which 10 of the cases were still under investigation while four were at the law court for prosecution.

"Our follow up on the status of implementation of recommendations in the Auditor-General's reports for the period January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2017 disclosed that eight MDAs had as at 2017 reported 14 different cases of infractions to the Police for investigation and prosecution," the report said.

Submitted on December 31, 2018, the Special report, in line with Article 187(7) (b) of the 1992 Constitution, covers disallowances and surcharges levied against persons whose actions, inactions and or conduct, resulted in unlawful expenditures or by whose negligence or misconduct led to losses.

The document also contains some of the recoveries made as a result of follow up on recommendations made in the Auditor-General's previous reports submitted to parliament.

It was submitted to bring the attention of Parliament and the citizenry to work done on Disallowance and Surcharge by the Auditor-General after the land mark decision by the Supreme Court in the case of OccupyGhana vrs Attorney- General.

The court, in its judgment in June 2017, ordered the Attorney-General to surcharge persons found to have misappropriated public funds after the pressure group dragged the Attorney-General before it for not surcharging persons involved in issues captured in Auditor-General reports.

The maiden report revealed that the Auditor-General, last year, recovered more than GH¢67.3 million in disallowances and surcharges the Audit Service collected from organisations and individuals, which has been paid into Government chest.

It said the amount, precisely GH¢67, 315,066.12, was realised from 112 surcharge certificates the Service issued as at November 30, 2018.

"The Auditor-General during the period issued 122 Surcharge Certificates to individuals and organisations and recovered a total amount into Government chest," the statement said.

Meanwhile the OccupyGhana has urged the Attorney General to bring persons involved in the cases to book as ordered by the Supreme Court, reminding it that the Auditor General had played its part.

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