Domelevo urges finance ministry to sanction officials engaged in financial irregularities

The Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo, has advised the Ministry of Finance to be up and doing by slapping public officials who engage in financial irregularities with hefty sanctions.

This, according him, will among other things help in safeguarding the public purse as well as deterring others from committing such crimes.

“I therefore urge the Ministry of Finance to strengthen internal controls, monitor and supervise the activities of officers, and impose sanctions on officers who commit such infractions to deter others from committing same,” the Auditor-General said in a special audit report.

The Auditor-General in the document dubbed “Special audit report of the Auditor-General on disallowance and surcharge as at 30 November 2018, ” lashed out at management of government agencies for allowing financial irregularities to increase unabated.

“The recurrence of irregularities identified in the Auditor-General’s reports resulting in the disallowance and surcharge is a direct result of low level of commitment by management to comply with the provisions of the laws and weak internal control systems.”

Auditor-General chases 112 firms, individuals for GHc511m misappropriated

The Auditor-General says he is after some 112 individuals and institutions whose actions caused to the state losing huge sums of monies.

The Auditor-General has in 2017 and 2018 issued certificates of surcharge and disallowance to some 112 individuals and institutions who engaged in some alleged financial irregularities.

A total of GHc511, 211,239.04 is expected to be realized if the certificates are honoured.

“During the 2017 and 2018 financial years, and in the reports issued to Parliament and respective MDAs, due to poor cash management and procurement irregularities 112 certificates of disallowance and surcharge were issued against individuals, organizations and institutions who committed financial infractions and were levied for refund of a total amount of GH¢511,211,239.04,” a special audit report released by the Auditor-General stated.

Over GHc40billion lost over financial irregularities

Ghana is said to have lost over GHc40 billion in irregularities identified in the Auditor-General’s report between 2003 and 2014.

Auditor-General brings on-board Special Prosecutor, EOCO

The Auditor-General says his outfit is collaborating with the Office of the Special Prosecutor and also Economic and Organised Crime Office to ensure investigation of such financial infractions.

“I am collaborating with the Office of the Special Prosecutor and also Economic and Organised Crime Office to ensure that these infractions are investigated further, and if need be prosecuted,” Mr. Domelevo added in the special audit report.

He further pleaded with the public to support his outfit in their quest “in protecting the public purse.”

In line with the call, Domelevo said his outfit has also “established a public complains directorate in a accordance with Regulation 51 of the Audit Service Regulations 2011” to allow the public to support their course.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey | citinewsroom.com | Ghana

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