The major news item trending on both traditional and social media since last week, is the content of the Auditor-General’s report.
Since the report was made public, many Ghanaians have been humbled by the extent of rot and wastage in the system.
The wanton dissipation of national resources, to say the least is systemic. Every government, ministry, agency or department, have been cited as having flouted the procurement laws, circumvented the financial management act, financial irregularities, etc.
This is not the first time, the Auditor-General’s report, has generated so much interest, it has become a ritual every year, where a report is released, we discuss it and cry our hearts out, it is sent to Parliament’s Public Account Committee (PAC), officials are called to answer to it, including queries, only to wait to continue the cycle again, the following year.
In the end, nothing happens to anyone, despite the recommendations and surcharges that will be made by the Public Accounts Committee.
It is becoming trite discussing the Auditor-General’s report. There is no gainsaying that, the problem keeps getting worse as the years go by.
Authorities at various levels, have continued to be perceived to be complacent in their jobs, compromise on their duties and responsibilities, and this is the reason why the situation persists and is not going away anytime soon.
One of the questions in our opinion begging for answer is, when will a single person be made to face criminal charges for their complicit in the Auditor Generals’ report. The situation has gone beyond reprimand and asking them to go and sin no more.
We are compelled to argue that protecting the public purse, is the responsibility of everybody; the government, civil society, civil and public servants, corporate Ghana and ordinary citizens.
While the nation awaits what PAC , will do with this report, it is safe to commend the Auditor-General’s department, for the courage of its conviction which shone throughout the report.
We need to have a pragmatic and all-encompassing approach in solving this problem before it consumes us all.
