The Chairman of Ghana’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Dr. James Klutse Avedzi, recently revealed a significant issue: despite numerous recommendations for prosecution based on the Auditor-General’s reports, none of the individuals or entities involved have been prosecuted. This lack of action has left many wondering about the effectiveness of the accountability processes in place.
Speaking to the media on August 21, 2024, Dr. Avedzi explained that while the PAC has been diligent in identifying and recommending cases for prosecution, these recommendations have not reached the Attorney General’s (AG) office as they should have. The root of the problem, according to Dr. Avedzi, lies in a communication breakdown between Parliament and the AG’s office.
For years, the PAC has attached annexes to their reports, listing the agencies and individuals that should be prosecuted for offenses uncovered by the Auditor-General. However, these recommendations were not being communicated to the Attorney General’s office, meaning no legal action could be taken.
The problem came to light during a meeting where Dr. Avedzi directly questioned the Attorney General about the status of the prosecutions. To his surprise, the Attorney General revealed that his office had not received any of the PAC’s referrals. This revelation prompted Dr. Avedzi to follow up and ensure that the Clerk of Parliament would start sending these recommendations to the AG’s office.
“I had to start doing a follow-up for the Clerk of Parliament to communicate this decision,” Dr. Avedzi stated. He expressed frustration that this communication issue had persisted for over a year and a half, delaying any potential legal action against those implicated in the Auditor-General’s reports.
After raising the issue again on the floor of Parliament, Dr. Avedzi reported that the situation has finally started to improve. He noted that the recommendations have recently been communicated to the Attorney General’s office, paving the way for possible prosecutions.
However, this delay has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the systems in place to hold individuals and entities accountable for financial misconduct. The PAC’s role is to ensure that public funds are used properly, and when their recommendations for prosecution are ignored or delayed, it undermines the entire process of accountability.
Source: Ghana Web
