“This Could Be the Greatest Public Finance Scandal of the 4th Republic” – Dafeamekpor

Majority Chief Whip and South Dayi Member of Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has expressed serious concerns over revelations surrounding the Auditor-General’s special audit of Ghana’s COVID-19 expenditure, warning that the allegations could point to one of the biggest public finance scandals in the country’s Fourth Republic.

Mr Dafeamekpor’s remarks follow an investigation by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which has raised questions about how spending on COVID-19 fumigation was recorded in the Auditor-General’s report.

The investigation found a significant discrepancy between the amount captured in the report and the expenditure reflected in documents examined by Mr Awuni. While the Auditor-General’s report reportedly recorded approximately GH¢96 million for COVID-19 fumigation, the documents suggest that government ministries spent hundreds of millions of cedis more on the exercise.

One of the key concerns involves the Ministry of Local Government, which reportedly spent about GH¢299 million on three fumigation contracts. However, the expenditure was allegedly excluded from the total fumigation figure presented in the Auditor-General’s report.

The Ghana Audit Service has reportedly acknowledged that the expenditure was audited but has yet to provide a clear explanation for why the amount was not reflected in the figure contained in the report. The discrepancy has raised questions about the completeness and accuracy of the audit findings.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, Mr Dafeamekpor stressed that the Auditor-General has a legal obligation to submit the findings of a special audit to Parliament. He questioned why significant findings and recommendations would be omitted from a report intended to provide accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.

The lawmaker maintained that the allegations must be thoroughly investigated and appropriate action taken if wrongdoing is established. He called for those found responsible to face the necessary investigations and any legal consequences warranted by the findings.

The controversy has intensified demands for greater transparency regarding how public funds allocated to Ghana’s COVID-19 response were spent. It has also renewed scrutiny of the work of the Ghana Audit Service and the processes used to examine government expenditure.

Former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo has similarly called for an explanation of the discrepancy. He suggested that the situation could indicate that relevant information was withheld from auditors or that the audit was not properly conducted. His concerns have added to calls for the authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding the reported omission and ensure that any irregularities are addressed.

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