President John Dramani Mahama has declared a renewed crackdown on individuals implicated in financial irregularities contained in the Auditor-General’s reports, warning that offenders will either be compelled to refund misappropriated public funds or face imprisonment.
Speaking at a diaspora town hall meeting in the United Kingdom on Sunday, May 31, the President expressed concern over the persistent financial losses recorded in annual audit reports, describing the trend as a significant burden on the country’s finances.
According to him, recurring findings of financial mismanagement and irregular expenditure highlight longstanding weaknesses in public sector accountability and financial oversight.
“Every year, you hear the Auditor General’s report, Ghana loses 12 billion cedis from misappropriations and things. The chief justice has graciously set up audit courts,” President Mahama stated.
Special Audit Courts to Enforce Accountability
The President said the establishment of specialised audit courts marks a major shift in efforts to tackle financial misconduct within public institutions.
He explained that individuals cited in audit reports will no longer only appear before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to answer questions regarding financial infractions.
Instead, cases will be referred for legal action to ensure that those responsible are held accountable and public funds are recovered.
President Mahama noted that the government intends to move beyond discussions and recommendations by ensuring that audit findings lead to concrete sanctions where wrongdoing is established.
“The Attorney General and the Auditor General are going to take out all the people who have misappropriated, and we’re putting them in front of those special courts to either refund our money or proceed to NSAWAM and go and catch some rest there.” - President Mahama
Renewed Focus on Recovering Public Funds
The President’s comments come at a time of heightened public scrutiny over the management of state resources following recent hearings by Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.
Several cases of financial irregularities have been examined in recent weeks, including a directive requiring officials of the Ho Municipal Assembly to refund GH¢138,000 within 60 days over audit-related infractions.
President Mahama stressed that safeguarding public resources remains a key priority of his administration, adding that stronger collaboration between the Attorney-General’s Department and the Auditor-General’s office will help ensure that financial misconduct attracts appropriate consequences.
He maintained that enforcing accountability and recovering lost funds are essential to restoring public confidence, strengthening governance, and protecting the national purse from avoidable losses.
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