President John Mahama has described the misuse of public funds exposed at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearings as “pathetic”, expressing frustration over what he called the persistent recklessness in the management of state resources.
Speaking at the 12th Annual Conference of Chairpersons of Governing Boards and Councils, Chief Directors, and Chief Executives organised by the Public Services Commission in Ho, President Mahama said he would meet with the Chief Justice, the Attorney General, and other key stakeholders on Thursday to find what he termed a “final solution” to the recurring mismanagement highlighted in the Auditor-General’s reports.
“Recently, I’ve been watching the Public Accounts Committee and it’s so pathetic,” the President said.
“Why must we, every year, congregate at the Public Accounts Committee and then you hear all kinds of atrocious things recklessness with public funds and resources?”
He said the meeting would focus on finding ways to hold public officials accountable and fast-track the prosecution of those implicated in the Auditor-General’s findings.
“I have a meeting on Thursday with the Chief Justice, the Attorney General, and others to find a final solution to this Auditor-General’s report,” he said.
“Persons who are found guilty of infractions or lead to loss of public resources we must have a fast-track process. Until there’s a deterrent, we’ll continue to face this every year.”
President Mahama lamented that despite the constitutional provisions guiding the implementation of audit recommendations, very little has been achieved over the years.
“We’ve not fully implemented the constitutional provision. There is a part that says after the Public Accounts Committee has sat on the Auditor-General’s report, Parliament must set up a committee to implement the findings,” he explained.
“What we don’t know is whether it should be a parliamentary committee or one made up of non-parliamentarians.”
He said the Audit Report Implementation Committees (ARICs) in public institutions were not functioning effectively, as most agencies fail to act on recommendations after appearing before the PAC.
“Every department is supposed to set up an ARIC, but once they’ve come from the Public Accounts Committee, virtually nobody follows up on the recommendations,” he said.
“The audit reports implementation committees are not working. We must find a way to create a deterrent, until people know they can be held responsible for these things they do.”
The President added that the recurring financial losses were staggering, noting that the Auditor-General’s report often uncovers misappropriations of up to GH¢15 billion.
“If we save GH¢15 billion, can you imagine what it could do? We must hold those who misuse the people’s resources to account so that others do not follow suit.”
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