The Auditor-General of the Republic of Ghana has, in his latest statement released yet another big revelation.
According to the Auditor-General’s audit of the corona virus 19 pandemic (Covid-19) expenditure, a whopping sum of GH¢605,962 has been unaccounted for, at the height of the pandemic.
In the report break down, the Audit Service noted that, the Nana Addo government, contrary to the public financial management regulation distributed a sum of GH¢451,800.00 directly to the Paramount Chiefs of the Ghana Traditional Councils.
This, according to the Audit Service report, was to help Ghana’s fight against the covid-19 pandemic.
The report reveals that GH¢154,161.97 of the funds transferred was misapplied.
It stated stated further, that “The Registrars of Ashanti and Central Regional Houses of Chiefs explained that the amounts were disbursed to the Paramount Chiefs upon directives from the Presidents of the Houses.
Parts of the report reads; “The Registrar, Brong Ahafo said he was not at post during the period, whilst the other five Registrars could not assign reasons for the lapse”. The report concluded that the unaccounted funds were misappropriated or misapplied.
The Audit Service further recommended that the Chief Director should ensure the Registrars of the eight Houses of Chiefs recover the total amount of GH¢605,961.97 from Chiefs failing which the Chief Director should pay the amount into the Auditor General’s Recoveries account”.
The Auditor-General’s report on Covid-19 again revealed that, the Ministry of Health entered into a US$4,049,460.12 agreement for the purchase of 26 Toyota Hiace Deluxe Ambulances in December 2021, but the ambulances were never delivered.
Details of the report indicate that a total of US$607,419.02 out of US$4,049,460.12 was paid for the ambulances to be delivered by January 15, 2022, however, as of November 28, 2022, no ambulance had been delivered.
The Health Ministry, also without the approval of the Central Tender Review Committee, increased the cost of five contracts with a total contract sum of GH¢24,256,500.00 by GH¢4,017,000.00 through variation orders, the report revealed.
The Auditor-General in his report recommended that the Chief Director should seek retroactive approval to avoid disallowance of such variation amount.
The report again revealed that, the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) between April 2020 and September 2020, received three payments totalling GH¢42,237,770.00.
However, the Auditor-General noted that waybills from the various Institutions amounted to GH¢40,831,685.00 resulting in an over–invoicing of GH¢1,406,085.00.
The Auditor-General in his recommendation charged the CEO of National Food Buffer Stock Company to refund the excess amount paid to the Auditor General’s Recoveries account.
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