Audit report on Domelevo, deputies’ travels politically-motivated – PAC Vice Chairman

The Vice-Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, Edward Dery has said the audit conducted by a private firm on the Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo and his six deputies was politically motivated.

K&A Accounting Services in their audit report revealed, that the Auditor-General, together with his six deputies, spent an amount of GH¢ 3.3 million on foreign travels.

The said amount was used from January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2020. Auditor-General’s recent 5-day travel to Malawi, according to K&A Accounting Services was for personal reasons but was funded by the Audit Service.

The report also highlighted that Domelevo’s vacation “was a five-day trip to Malawi, which cost GH¢18,427 in air travels, hotels and per diem of $930, fully funded by the Ghana Audit Service. The appointment letter of the Auditor-General, Mr Domelevo, was not available to enable us to confirm the legitimacy of the payments.”

Reacting to this in an interview with Citi News, Mr Dery said “I do not see how the Board Chairman can appoint individual companies or corporate bodies to audit the Auditor General. That is not within his work. That creates the impression that this is politically-motivated. How does the Board Chairman appoint auditors to audit the Auditor-General? Does that fall within his mandate?"

Meanwhile, Mr. Domelevo has challenged the Board for appointing the private firm to conduct the audit.

He argued that the action taken by the Board violates Article 187 (15) of the 1992 Constitution.