Auditor-General exposes massive rot at Ghana@50
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
Accra, June 19, Ghanadot - The
Auditor-General of Ghana, Edward Dua Agyemang has submitted
the much-awaited Ghana@50 Secretariat accounts to the
Parliament of Ghana, which it reveals massive rot, thievery
and financial malfeasance among others.
The Auditor-General Edward Dua Agyemang’s report on the
Secretariat’s accounts from May 2006 to December 2008 gave
details and unpleasant revelations.
The Secretariat, headed by Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey, was
set up by the preview Government of Ghana to supervise
programmes and activities towards the celebration of Ghana’s
golden jubilee and the Africa Union (AU) conference held in
2007.
The major concern raised in the report is the total
expenditure incurred GH¢71.70, which is almost twice the
original allocated amount of GH¢31 million.
Also, out of the 25 much-talked-about jubilee toilets only
one has been completed.
The report, signed by the Auditor-General and forwarded to
the Speaker Justice Joyce Bamford Addo indicated that the
National Planning Committee for the jubilee celebrations and
AU conference exceeded the approved sum of GH¢29.31 million
allocated to them by Parliament.
The report faults the committee for guaranteeing a loan of
GH¢10 million contracted by a consortium of banks without
the prior parliamentary approval.
The money according to the report, was to complete the
construction and furnishing of 30 AU Village houses at
Labadi, a suburb of Accra.
However, it says the National Planning committee further
failed to abide by the terms of the contract resulting in
incurring accrued interest of GH¢3.4 million.
Additionally, the committee also entered into a bridge
financing agreement with Prudential Bank, a bank operating
in Ghana to obtain 10 million Ghana cedis to supplement its
cash flow.
However the Auditor General describes the action as illegal
as it did not seek prior parliamentary approval.
The report further states that the Secretariat lent GH¢1.293
million to the Trade Fair Company to renovate its
facilities.
That money has not been repaid. It would be recalled that in
November 2006, the committee awarded contacts for the
construction of 25 jubilee toilets with rest stops along the
major highways at a cost of GH¢2.025 million.
According to the report, to date, only one has been
completed. The projects have been abandoned at various
completion stages by the contractors who were given GH¢664,203.80
as mobilization fee. T-shirts, NBA caps calendars, flags,
buntings, cups and school bags which were procured at a
total cost of GH¢18.094 million.
Surprisingly, the Deputy Minister of Information, Mr. Samuel
Okudzeto Ablakwa revealed most the stationery and other
souvenirs printed to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the
Ghana are still in stock.
Interestingly the report also faults Parliament for not
exercising proper oversight responsibility in the entire
matter.
The Ghana@50 Secretariat will have
a lot of explaining to do if the audited report
released by the Auditor-General of
Ghana of the Ghana is
anything to go by.
Ghanadot
