Auditor General looks into operations of 31st December Movement

The Auditor-General's Department has begun the auditing of the accounts of the 31st December Women's Movement, Edward Dua Agyeman, Acting Auditor General said on Thursday.

He told the Ghana News Agency in Accra that under the Constitution any non-governmental organisation (NGO) that benefits from public funding must be audited by the Auditor-General to ascertain whether the public really benefited. The movement benefited from several of such funding.

"The Auditor-General is given the right under article 187 of the Constitution, to audit all public accounts. Public accounts do not only refer to accounts of public institutions and public offices but also public monies given to private institutions, including NGOs, for the benefit of the public generally."

He said between 1992 and 1994 the Chinese government gave the Ghana Government 2.2 million dollars for three selected projects, one of which was the Vocational Technical Training Centre in Accra.

"Though there was no subsidiary agreement to the disbursement of the loan the funds were channelled to the Movement and like all government loans this must be repaid to the Chinese government."

Agyeman said in 1991 an African Development Bank (ADB) loan of 1.88 million dollars was given to the Movement after a government guarantee for the construction of community centres and digging of boreholes. The project, which should have ended in June 2000, was extended to June this year.

Mr Agyeman said in January 2000 during the visit of the Vice Premier of China to Ghana three million Yuan was donated to the Government of Ghana. In February last year the Ministry of Finance allocated 1.5 Yuan of the amount to the Movement to cover cost of fabrics it was importing from China.

The Acting Auditor-General said the movement also benefited from a European Union financing agreement.

After an agreement between the EU and the government, the Movement submitted a project called "Enhancing the Living Standards of Rural Women" at cost of over 250 million cedis, Agyeman said, adding that the movement agreed to provide 46 million cedis while the project was to provide 138 million out of which 70 million has been provided to the Movement.

Mr Agyeman said the movement benefited from huge tax exemptions on duties on equipment, machinery and vehicles. For instance Masai Motors donated a Hearse and Limousine with accessories at the cost of over 27,000 dollars for which the movement applied for exemptions.

Mr Agyeman said in April 1999 China Hainan Corporation for International Economic and Technical Co-operation shipped one Toyota saloon car and two new Toyota pick-ups from Hong Kong to the Movement at the total cost over 41,000 dollars of which another exemption was granted.

In December 1998, 30 computers designed for children was donated by Messrs S. K. Engineering and Construction Company from Korea for which tax exemptions were granted.

The GNA report said it has also seen a letter dated September 4, 1997 written by the National President of the Movement, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings requesting the Auditor-General to periodically audit the accounts of their day care centres.

"I once more want to crave your kind indulgence to request your staff in the regions to periodically audit our major day care centres in their respective regions and oblige us with their reports."

"In this regard, I have requested my Regional Organisers to make the list of all major day care centres in the region available for the attention of your Regional Auditors."

The order by the National Security Adviser for the auditing of the accounts of the movements has triggered an angry response from key members of the Movement, who say he has no right to give such an instruction.