Auditor General is not properly resourced to prosecute – Former A-G

Edward Dua Agyemang, former auditor general has said that the call for prosecutorial powers by Daniel Domelevo, Auditor General is not needed.

According to him, there are other state organizations like the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and some other civil societies who are championing the fights against corruption.

“Anything that is done to speed up accountability is a good measure, the problem will be whether the Auditor General has the time and personnel to be able to do it,” he added.

Mr. Dua Agyemang, however, expressed concern that the Auditor General did not necessarily need the powers to prosecute especially in the advent of a special prosecutor, the CHRAJ which has constitutional backings to investigate corruption.

The Auditor General, Daniel Domevelo at a press briefing of the 2016-2017 Auditor General’s report requested for prosecutorial powers to fight corruption within the public service.

Mr. Dua Agyemang speaking at the Social Accountability Multi-Stakeholder Forum in Accra on Tuesday said “At the moment, we have such institutions like the CHRAJ and the Special Prosecutor and I think for now they should be able to handle corruption issues” he said.

The Former Auditor General sharing his opinion on how corruption can be curtailed in the country said, "I don’t think prosecution should be the only medium for fighting corruption, there should be other intervention”.

Mr. Dua Agyemang said the Auditor General is less resourced to be given prosecutorial powers.

“I’m not saying he doesn’t need it but at the moment we have other state institutions who are doing the same job and he hasn’t got the resources to prosecute at the moment, when he is resourced and there is the need for it then I think it will be appropriate for him to do it” he said.