The Builsa South MP, Clement Apaak, has questioned the lack of action from the Auditor General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu to disallow and surcharge to recover public funds totaling GH¢29 billion.
He charged that “It’s a shame that rather than working against corruption, the refusal of Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu to disallow and surcharge is enhancing corruption.”
“The 2020 & 2021 AG reports on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) alone, which he superintended over, indicate that GH¢12 billion & GH¢17 billion can’t be accounted for respectively. Yet, he is not surcharging,” the MP complained in a statement.
Dr. Apaak noted that he had even confronted Mr Asiedu himself on the issue.
“As a member of the Public Accounts Committee, I confronted him on this matter at a workshop. I had hoped that would ginger him to apply the power to disallow and surcharge in the public interest, but no.”
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Because of this, the MP said he has become convinced that the current Auditor General is not working in the public interest and not helping to protect the public purse.
In a statement entitled “Auditor General’s Refusal To Surcharge Not In Public Interest”, the Buisal South MP questioned “why has the current Auditor General (AG) Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, refused to use the power to disallow and surcharge to recover public funds when Daniel Yaw Domelevo used same to recover GH 66M”
He argued that “the power to disallow and surcharge was affirmed by the Supreme Court in the OccupyGhana case, and Daniel Yaw Domelevo gave it effect, until he was hounded out of office”.
“Strangely Domelevo’s successor, the current AG, John Akuamoah Asiedu, has refused to use this power/authority. The 2020 & 2021 AG reports on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) alone, which he superintended over, indicate that GH 12B & GH 17B can’t be accounted for respectively. Yet, he is not surcharging!
“As a member of the Public Accounts Committee, I confronted him on this matter at a workshop. I had hoped that would ginger him to apply the power to disallow and surcharge in the public interest, but no.
“I’m now convinced that the current AG is not working in the public interest, he is not helping to protect the public purse. In fact, he is enhancing the dissipation of public resources.
“It’s a shame that rather than working against corruption, the refusal of Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu to disallow and surcharge is enhancing corruption”, adding, “an AG whose work is against the public interest is not fit for purpose and ought not be tolerated. A public officer must work in the public interest”.
