Auditor-Generals reports: AG sets up team to deal with lapses in surcharges, disallowances
The setting-up of the team, according to Mr. Dame in a letter addressed to the Auditor-General, is in response to lapses in the notices of disallowance and surcharge served on the Attorney-General.
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Dame, has indicated that a special team at his Ministry has been set up to collaborate with the Audit Service, to act on established irregularities in the Auditor-Generals' reports.
The setting-up of the team, according to Mr. Dame in a letter addressed to the Auditor-General, is in response to lapses in the notices of disallowance and surcharge served on the Attorney-General.
The team, the letter also said, will be jointly headed by the Solicitor-General and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“As you would recall, I have, in previous communication with you, indicated that in accordance with section 17 of Act 584, certain steps ought to be complied with by the Audit Service after an audit report has been subjected to the scrutiny of the PAC. These steps border on the issuance of disallowances and surcharges by the Auditor-General.
By letters dated 21st December 2017, 14th December 2018, and 21st January 2019, the Attorney-General informed the then Auditor-General about lapses in the notices of disallowance and surcharge served on the Attorney-General in order for him to remedy same. Unfortunately, to date, some have not been remedied,” Mr. Dame said in his letter dated February 7, 2023.
He further noted that the steps that ought to be taken by the Auditor-General is crucial for his office to institute legal action against specified defaulters.
“There ought to be enhanced cooperation between the Audit Service and the Office of the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Justice. These two institutions are at the forefront of the quest for public accountability, probity, the rule of law, and the rooting out of corruption and malpractices in Ghana, and therefore are left with no option but to collaborate.”
Recently, civil society groups particularly Occupy Ghana and others, have expressed concerns, over what seems like the refusal of the Auditor-General to exercise its powers of surcharge and disallowance after its reports cited individuals and agencies for various irregularities.
The laws under section 17 of the Audit Service Act, 2000 (Act 584) and Article 187 (7) of the 1992 Constitution grants the Auditor-General powers of surcharge and disallowance.