The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has pledged strict oversight of public expenditure in 2024, vowing to safeguard state resources and strengthen citizens’ confidence in financial administration.
Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare said the committee would build on the foundation laid by its predecessors.
“We are determined not only to raise the bar, but to strengthen oversight and demand greater consequences for mismanagement of public funds,” she stated at its first sitting on the 2024 Auditor-General’s Report,
She emphasised that recommendations adopted by Parliament would be binding on ministries, departments and agencies, with the Attorney-General called in where necessary to enforce compliance.
The committee also directed the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to recover GH¢54,665 from a former staff member, Dr Kennedy Osei, who resigned just eight months after returning from a fully sponsored PhD programme in Australia. Auditors revealed that Dr Osei received unearned salary payments during his extended leave, despite a four-year bond commitment.
Ministry officials, led by sector Minister Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, argued that reconciliations with the Civil Service and GETFund had reduced the recoverable amount to GH¢19,325, of which Dr Osei had reportedly paid GH¢3,000.
However, auditors said they had no evidence of such payments and maintained the original figure.
The conflicting accounts drew sharp reactions from the committee. Ranking Member Samuel Atta-Mills described the case as fraud, insisting both Dr Osei and his guarantors should be held accountable for breaching bond terms.
Osei-Asare further cautioned government agencies against relying solely on internal memos when responding to audit queries, urging stronger proof of recovery to protect the public purse.
Dr Lartey assured the committee of her ministry’s collaboration with the Civil Service and GETFund to reconcile the discrepancies and recover the outstanding sums.
Source:Lovinghananews.com
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