GALOP Saga: World Bank threatens to sue government over delayed audited financial statements.
The World Bank has threatened to take legal action against Ghana's government if it fails to submit audited financial statements for the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project within 30 days (GALOP).
In an October 21 letter to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Pierre Laporte, the World Country Director to Ghana, expressed concern about the audit statement not being completed within six months of the end of one fiscal year, as required by the International Development Association and Ghana's financial agreement.
Owing to the fact that the submission of the statement is four months overdue, the World Bank says it will explore the “possibility of exercising the appropriate legal remedies under the Financing Agreement” against the government.
"In accordance with Section 5.09(b)(ii) of the General Conditions incorporated by reference in the Financing Agreement and as specified in paragraph II (ii) of the Disbursement and Financial Information Letter (DFIL), the Recipient is required to provide audited financial statements covering the Recipient's fiscal year no later than six (6) months after the end of such period." We would like to point out that, as of today, October 18, 2022, the Association had not received the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 20, 2021, as required by the General Conditions.
"The Association is concerned that nearly ten (10) months after the fiscal year ended, an independent audit report on the use of funds has still not been provided to the Association."
“Given that the audited financial statements are now four (4) months overdue, and with the Audit Compliance Guidance, we write to inform you that unless you come into compliance within the next thirty (30) days from the date of this letter, the Association may have no option than to explore the possibility of exercising the appropriate legal remedies under the Financing Agreement,” part of the letter read.
Pierre Laporte has consequently requested Ofori-Atta to attend to the brewing matter in order for the audit requirement to be adhered to.
“We trust that your personal and immediate attention to this matter will ensure speedy compliance of the audit requirements referred to above,” the letter said in part.
Adutwum and GALOP training brouhaha
Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum in May this year was allegedly caught up in an alleged phantom training exercise for over 40,000 teachers on the digital literacy platform under GALOP for which World Bank had given $1.2 million.
This came to light after then Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, in a March 30, 2022 letter to the Education Minister said GES was “unaware that any such training has taken place” and further asked him “to advice and provide direction to enable the GES to respond appropriately to the enquiries from the World Bank”.
According to a myjoyonline.com report, the World Bank has written to the then GES D-G after Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum failed to respond by close of January 14, 2022, on queries into whether or not the training had taken place and claims by Chief Director at the Education Ministry, Benjamin Gyasi, that it has “exceeded the target of 40,000 teachers to be trained, insisting PBC7.2B has been achieved.”
In response to concerns that the minister had submitted a fictitious report on the training, the MoE's Press Secretary, Felix A Baidoo, flatly denied it in a statement, claiming it was a smear campaign against the minister.
"Unfortunately, it is now clearer than ever that those behind such character assassinating reports are deliberately launching a vicious smear campaign project against the patriotic, selfless, and hardworking Minister of Education, Dr. Osei Adutwum, for reasons best known to themselves," the statement said.
Read the following letter from the World Bank to Ofori-Atta:
GALOP Saga: According to the letter, the World Bank is furious with the government for failing to submit audited financial statements on time. If the necessary steps are not taken within 30 days, Ghana will face legal consequences. The Ministry of Education is in charge of implementing the GALOP project.
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