COVID-19 Audit: Is Parliamentary debate going to change the act of embezzlement? – CDD’s Dr. Kojo Asante
Dr. Kojo Asante, Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement at the Centre for Democratic Development Ghana (CDD-Ghana) sees no reason in the Attorney General’s insistance on Parliament to debate the COVID-19 audit report at all costs before its publication.
He asked if parliamentary debate will change the act of embezzlement captured in the report and bring back the stolen monies.
Mr. Asante remarked while contributing to a discussion on Accra-based JoyNews’ PM Express on Wednesday, February 15, that "When you say that Parliament is going to have its bite and conclude, are you saying they are going to change whether somebody has embezzled money or not?"
"If you go by the Attorney General's logic, then you'll conduct legal proceedings in secrecy," he asserted.
He further remarked that the Attorney General’s posture is rather seeking to delay the publication of audit reports.
"The Attorney General is trying to roll back many years of trying to get the Auditor General into this position where reports are produced on time," he noted.
This comes after the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, in a letter addressed to the Auditor General, Mr. Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, described the recent COVID-19 audit publication as premature.