Auditor-General Chases 112 Firms, Individuals For GHc511m Misappropriated Cash

The Auditor-General has surcharged some 112 individuals and institutions whose actions caused the State to lose huge sums of monies within the 2017 and 2018 financial years.

A total of GHc511, 211,239.04 is expected to be realized from the surcharges and disallowance certificates the Auditor-General issued to the individuals and institutions indicted.

“Our follow-up on the status of implementation of recommendations in the Auditor-General’s reports for the period 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2017, resulted in the recovery of a total sum of GH¢64,559,121.86 from individuals, institutions and companies who committed financial infractions.”

“Similarly, five individuals, institutions and companies who failed to account for a total amount of GH¢3,018,379.72 owed the state for various financial infractions committed prior to the issue of surcharge certificate refunded a total amount of GH¢2,578,398.00 between July 2017 and November 2018, into the Consolidated Fund…to bring the total recoveries to GH¢67,137,517.86,” the report added.

Give me prosecutorial powers

The Auditor-General in February 2018, said he had applied to the Attorney General to grant him powers to prosecute persons indicted in the Auditor General’s report.

Mr. Domelevo said “…if a fiat is given by the Attorney General to Audit Service just like it has been given to the police and others to prosecute…which I have actually applied for, you will see me in action.”

But so many months after the request, it is unclear whether his appeal has been granted or not.