2013 Audit report: Gov’t lacks commitment to retrieve embezzled funds – GII

Anti-graft body, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), is predicting that the Mahama administration cannot retrieve the monies found to have been embezzled by public officials in the 2013 Auditor General’s report.

The report, indicted officials of SADA and the Energy Ministry among others for embezzlement.

The report which was presented to Parliament by the Auditor General, Richard Quartey Tuesday revealed that the Energy Ministry spent GHS5, 584,508 on 38 luxury vehicles.

According to the report, the vehicles were bought from a budget meant for extending electricity to 1,200 communities under the Multi-Donor Budgetary Support Programme between 2010 and 2012.

It revealed that the ministry also bought two heavy duty photocopiers for $33,226.40 (GHS106,324), four desktop computers with accessories for $10,522.28(GHS33,670), and three laptop computers with accessories for $8,008.71 (GHS25,627.87).

By law, persons found culpable must be made to refund the monies.

But speaking to Starr News, the Executive Director of GII, Vitus Azeem said the government lacks the commitment to take back the monies.

“What is happening means that the recommendations of the auditor general through Parliament are not being enforced.

“And until we have a government that says : if your name is mentioned in the auditor general’s report to have taken monies wrongly, you have to be fired or prosecuted, these things will continue,” he stated .