PAC refers Ridge Hospital, KATH, others to AG for prosecution

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has referred 12 public entities—including the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and the Ridge Hospital — to the Attorney General’s Department for immediate prosecution over their failure to comply with a directive to recover state funds lost through financial irregularities.

The decision follows the entities’ defiance of a 30-day ultimatum issued by the committee to retrieve specified amounts cited in the Auditor-General’s report as financial losses resulting from unretired imprest, unearned salaries, and questionable payments.

During the committee’s sitting on Monday, November 3, the Ranking Member and MP for Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem, Samuel Atta-Mills, stated unequivocally:

He added that while some entities had been given 60 to 90 days to comply, those who failed within the first 30-day window “may enjoy sitting in court” as the PAC moves to enforce accountability.

The referral marks a major escalation in Parliament’s anti-corruption posture, turning audit infractions from administrative breaches into criminal accountability cases for non-compliant officials.

According to Mr. Michael Addo, Assistant Auditor-General, the decision was prompted by a follow-up audit that revealed that most institutions had failed to recover the misappropriated funds despite appearing before the PAC and being directed to do so.

The 12 entities span several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), with the total value of unaccounted funds estimated in the tens of millions of Ghana Cedis — representing substantial losses to the State.