Financial irregularities under Mahama and Akufo-Addo cost Ghana GH¢5.46 billion
- The Auditor General’s report has uncovered huge financial crimes across public institutions
- The report reveals that Ghana lost GH¢5.46 billion to these irregularities between 2015 and 2019
- Both Mahama and Akufo-Addo regimes recorded cases of these financial misbehaviour
The Auditor General has released a report on the state of public institutions in 2019 and the details are shocking. It reveals that financial misbehaviours across all state institutions cost the country GH¢5.46 billion.
The revealing part of the document is that these criminal acts of misbehaviour were recorded between Mahama’s administration of 2015 and Akufo-Addo’s regime in 2019.
“Total irregularities figure of GH¢3.311 billion for 2015 decreased to GH¢718.08 million in 2016. It however spiked to GH¢12.002 billion in 2017. Interestingly, it dropped to GH¢3.007 billion in 2018 but shot up again by 81.8% to GH¢5.46 billion in 2019,” excerpts of the report read.
When it comes to financial irregularities, the Auditor General refers to misbehaviours in the payment of salaries, procurement of logistics, disbursement of loans among other critical revelations.
What this means is that should criminal investigations begin, officials – past and present – of both Mahama and Akufo-Addo regimes – could be prosecuted.
In other news
The Finance Minister-Designate, Ken Ofori Attah, says he was appointed by the President based on experience and not merit.
Taking his turn at the appointment committee , the finance minister-designate, stated that even though he had family and friends in the Akufo-Addo administration, their expertise and contribution to economic development were all that matter.
Ken Ofori Attah made these comments when the Minority Chief Whip in Parliament, Muntaka Mubarak, questioned him on his relations with Gabby Otchere Darko and other members of the presidency.
“Yes, Gabby is by cousin, but this does not take away what I have to offer and my expertise, Mr. Chairman,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister-nominee, Ken Ofori-Atta has stated that his key focus in becoming the minister is to reduce revenue lost to tax exemptions.
According to him, despite a lack of significant action in the last four years under his tenure his focus is still the same.
Answering to questions during his vetting, Ofori-Atta said under revenue generation, the issue of tax exemptions, alongside harnessing revenue from property rates and digitalisation “are going to be key areas for me.”
In March 2019, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta submitted the Tax Exemptions Bill to Parliament.
Cabinet also amended the process for approving exemptions to include compulsory clearance by the Ministry.
In other news, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has given the assurance that the government is working hard to purchase some 42 million additional COVID-19 doses by the close of 2021.
According to him, talks on the vaccine are far advanced to get them into the country.
This he said goes to say that by the end of the year, the entire adult population would be vaccinated.
“Government remains on course to procuring a total of 42 million vaccines to achieve its target of 20 million vaccinated Ghanaians by the end of the year,” the President said.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
