Irregularities Amounting To GHc17 Billion Have Been Documented; The Majority Leader Is Urging The Formation Of A Committee To Investigate These Irregularities
The Majority Leader of Parliament and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, has proposed the establishment of a parliamentary committee in response to a Public Accounts Committee report highlighting irregularities totaling GHc 17 billion across 19 state institutions.
As per the report, irregularities amounting to GHc 17,483,483,539.25 were identified in the management of these institutions for the period ending December 31, 2021.
Urged by the findings, the Majority Leader called upon the House to form a committee tasked with delving deeper into the recommendations provided by the Majority Leader Public Accounts Committee.
The irregularities implicated 19 state institutions and agencies falling under various ministries, including the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General, Ministry of Communication and Digitization, Ministry of Tourism, Creative Arts and Culture, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations. Additionally, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Works and Housing, and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources were also identified in the report.
He conveyed the opinion that while the Public Accounts Committee is tasked with investigating reports from the Auditor General and submitting its findings to Parliament, the same constitution grants the House authority to collaborate with the Attorney General’s Department.
This collaboration ensures that all recommendations put forth by the Public Accounts Committee are implemented.
The findings of the Public Accounts Committee report additionally disclosed that the overall irregularities surged from GHc 12,856,172,626 in 2020 to GHc 17,483,483,539.25 in 2021, marking a 36.0% increase from the preceding year’s identified irregularities.
The report categorized the irregularities into eight (8) distinct headings, namely Outstanding Debtors/Loans Receivable (58.98%), Dues from Customers for Power Sales (COVID-19 & Others) (34.56%), Cash (2.89%), Payroll (0.05%), Procurement (1.75%), Tax (0.13%), and Contract irregularities (1.62%).
