The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Monday scrutinized officials of the Ministry of Health (MOH) over alleged discrepancies in the 2024 Auditor-General’s Report.
Per the report, the Auditor-General recommended that the person responsible should refund the amount.
Appearing before the Committee in Parliament House, Accra, during a public hearing led by Madam Grace Ayensu-Danquah, Deputy Minister of Health, MOH faced serious questions over its financial management practices, following revelations by the Auditor-General of alleged unsubstantiated payments totaling GH¢7,714,610.53 in 75 transactions.
MOH management acknowledged the issues and assured PAC that corrections were being made.
However, PAC Chairperson Madam Abena Osei Asare expressed frustration over the seeming lack of initiative by government institutions to address audit queries before the Auditor-General’s report is compiled.
Other key findings cited by the Auditor-General’s report were unapproved contract variations, where auditors discovered an alleged 25 contracts with unapproved variations, raising concerns about the ministry’s procurement practices.
“MOH paid GH¢14,054,615.74 in rent between 2015 and 2024 for premises to house the central medical stores after a fire in 2014. Despite plans to rebuild, funds have not been forthcoming,” the report said.
The Director of Finance at MOH, Mr Daniel Nsiah, assured PAC that the Ministry of Finance had promised to factor the reconstruction costs into the mid-year budget, and a
Follow-up will be made.
PAC on Monday, September 29, reconvened to continue its public hearings to review the Auditor-General’s report for the year ending December 31, 2024.
The Committee will, from Monday to Wednesday, October 1, scrutinize various government MDAs for alleged financial irregularities.
Among the ministries appearing before the committee will be the Ghana Statistical Service, Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, Ministry for the Interior, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Department, and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs.
The others are the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Art, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology, and the Ministry of Transport.
The PAC’s scrutiny of the Auditor-General’s report highlights the committee’s commitment to ensuring accountability and transparency in government financial dealings.
Source: GNA
The post Ministry of Health embroiled in financial irregularities appeared first on Ghana Business News.
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