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Two of Ghana’s top medical institutions are among the 12 organisations that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has referred to the Attorney General for prompt prosecution. The referral is the result of the companies’ wilful disregard for a strict committee order that mandates they fully recover certain sums of money that were listed as losses in the Auditor-General’s report within a 30-day window. The committee remained steadfast in its conclusion, according to James Avedzi, a JoyNews correspondent who watched the meeting on Monday, November 3. “I would recommend those who haven’t responded or done it within 30 days; I’ll recommend all of them to the Attorney General for prosecution,” said Samuel Atta-Mills, the committee’s ranking member and the MP for Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem. It really is that easy. “We are suggesting that all of these individuals be prosecuted, and it’s that easy,” he continued. We’ll hold off on those with sixty and ninety days. Perhaps they want to take pleasure in sitting in court. I would suggest that they all be prosecuted. The decision, which turns audit violations from simple enquiries into criminal charges against responsible officials, represents a major step up in Parliament’s efforts to impose responsibility in the public sector. Mr. Michael Addo, Assistant Auditor General at the Ghana Audit Service, provided a devastating update that led to the PAC’s judgement. A month after the heads of these institutions appeared before the PAC and were told to recover funds lost due to financial violations, including unretired imprest, unearned salaries, and dubious payments, Mr. Addo informed the committee that they had not been able to do so. The constitutional clause requiring referral to the Attorney General’s Department for criminal prosecution was activated by this noncompliance with the PAC’s explicit post-hearing direction, which is a crucial tool for implementing the Public Financial Management Act. Two of the most well-known public health facilities in the nation are among the 12 organisations that have been referred for prosecution: The complete list of the 12 organisations, which includes different Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), has been officially delivered to the office of the Attorney General. It is estimated that the total amount of money involved across all 12 entities is in the tens of millions of Ghanaian cedis, which would constitute a significant loss to the State. As required by Article 187(5) of the 1992 Constitution, the governmental Accounts Committee reviews the Auditor-General’s report on Ghana’s governmental finances. The PAC is using its ultimate authority to ensure that public officials who inflict financial loss or disregard recovery directions face legal repercussions by sending the issue to the Attorney General. The goal of prosecuting administrators and staff at establishments such as Ridge Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital is to: Prevent Future Violations: Make it clear to all MDAs that financial irregularities will result in criminal prosecution. Enforce Recovery: Make sure that misappropriated public monies are recovered, as they are vital for paying for necessities like healthcare and education. It is now anticipated that the Attorney General’s Department would examine the evidence gathered by the Audit Service and the PAC and file formal criminal charges against the guilty parties.
