Audit report: NDC youth attacks stance of NPP youth

The youth wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Wednesday accused the government of using the NDC as a scapegoat any time it came under public scrutiny over its mal-administration.

"The country is now tired of the excuses of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to try to cover up for their ineptitude, miss-governance and corrupt activities," says a statement issued by the youth wing in Accra.

The statement was in reaction to an earlier statement the New Patriotic Youth Wing (NPYL) made yesterday calling for a probe into circumstances surrounding the audit of the special projects account of the Ministry of Works and Housing which some Ministers of financial malfeasance against them. "The NYPL must be told in no uncertain terms that the job of auditors is to make sure that procedures in the utilisation of government funds are followed to the letter. In doing its work, officials of the Audit Service cannot be described as whistle-blowers."

The statement challenged the NYPL to produce any previous reports of the

Auditor-General that indicted ministers who served in the NDC administration as alleged. It said the audited report dated 8 May 2002 gave the Ministry of Works of

Housing 30 days within which to react to queries.

The Minority leader, who was criticised for commenting on the Report, did so only last Friday 21 June. The statement said if the 150 million cedis which was in the centre of controversy over the audit report was released to Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey in his official capacity as Minister, then why should the former Chief of Staff

Nana Ato Dadzie be arraigned before court for handling official money.

The statement said the call by the NPYL for a zero tolerance for public officials who are out to sabotage or embarrass the government was an excuse for the NPP to dismiss the Audit Service Officials who conducted the audit exercise.