“Auditor-General Says Ghana Spent GHS 96m On COVID-19. Evidence Shows We Spent GHS780m” – Manasseh

Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has raised concerns about Ghana’s special audit into COVID-19 expenditure, alleging that the Auditor-General’s report substantially understated the amount spent on fumigation during the pandemic.

In a Facebook post, Azure Awuni disclosed that the audit report put the country’s fumigation expenditure at GH¢96.3 million. However, his extensive investigation, which examined spending by the Ministries of Education, Local Government and Transport, found that the total amount spent was at least GH¢780 million, more than eight times the figure captured in the audit.

According to the investigation, approximately GH¢775 million, representing 99.4 per cent of the total expenditure identified, went to Zoomlion Ghana Limited. The findings further indicated that the Ministry of Education spent GH¢316.1 million across three phases of fumigation, but the audit reportedly included only the second phase. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Local Government’s GH¢299 million expenditure was allegedly excluded entirely, even though the ministry had submitted the figures for auditing. The Ministry of Transport’s reported expenditure of GH¢159.9 million was also missing from the final report.

The Ghana Audit Service reportedly confirmed that the expenditure had been audited but did not provide an explanation for why the figures were omitted from the published report.

These findings have raised questions about the accuracy, transparency and independence of the special audit, particularly because the audit was reportedly requested by the same Finance Minister whose ministry was subject to scrutiny. The investigation has also renewed attention to Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a company that had previously faced corruption-related allegations before the pandemic.

If the findings are substantiated, the discrepancy of more than GH¢680 million across the three ministries would represent a significant gap in the reported COVID-19 expenditure. The situation raises concerns about whether the omissions resulted from failures in the auditing process or other factors that have yet to be explained.

The revelations could have serious implications for public confidence in Ghana’s state auditing institutions and the accountability of public officials responsible for managing pandemic-related funds. They also strengthen calls for greater transparency in the commissioning and execution of special audits to ensure that public expenditure is accurately reported and properly scrutinised.

https://x.com/gh_first_always/status/2115349978864644309?s=20

Jiminik feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com