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24.10.2008 General News

GH¢40 Million Recovered

24.10.2008 LISTEN
By Salifu Abdul-Rahaman & Samuel Nuamah - newtimesonline.com

Two public hearings by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) on December 16, 2007 and May 13, this year, have resulted in the recovery of GH¢40 million (400 billion old cedis) from public officials to the state.

The PAC meetings were in response to queries raised against Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the 2004/2005 Auditor General's Reports which unearthed certain  wrongdoings by some MDAs.

Mr. Samuel Sallas-Mensah, PAC chairman, speaking in Parliament yesterday, said a number of officials were consequently being prosecuted at the courts for fraudulent malpractices in the public financial management system.

Mr. Sallas-Mensah (NDC — Upper West Akim),  said  the next PAC of Parliament could have a lot of work to do.

“This is because a lot of reports which have come from the Auditor-General's Department are yet to be laid in Parliament,” he explained.

The MP noted that the PAC hearings were making positive impacts on the Ghanaian parliamentary arena.

The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament  started its public sittings on Tuesday, October 16 2007.

The wrongdoings revealed by the public sittings involved unearned salaries, withholding of taxes not collected, procurement irregularities and non-debts, among others.

In May this year, the PAC took a critical look at the Auditor-General's report on the accounts of pre-university educational institution for the period 2001-2004, and discovered losses to the tune of ¢44.658 billion.

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