BoG Governor should’ve been billed for wasting PAC’s time – Ras Mubarak

Governor of the Bank of Ghana(BoG) should have been billed for wasting our time at the Public Accounts Committee(PAC) on Tuesday, Committee Member, Ras Mubarak told Kasapa 102.5 FM.

In an interview with Anopa Kasapa morning show host, Kweku Owusu Adjei, the Kumbungu lawmaker said the situation smacks of disrespect to the committee.

“It could be genuine emergency but to wait last minute and not showing up is disrespect. No prior notice whatsoever. The sad thing is that we could have programmed some other institutions for appearance, if the committee had known earlier. He just wasted our time and that of the media houses present. If this happens the next sitting, we’ll be compelled to subpoena him; he’s not above law,” says Mubarak.

Dr. Ernest Addison was on Tuesday scheduled to lead the Bank to respond to reported financial malfeasance at the Bank as captured in the Auditor-General’s Report on the Statement of the Bank of Ghana’s Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments for the years ended 31st December 2017 and 2018.

But at about 10:30 am that morning when sitting commenced, it came to light that Mr Addition had directed the Bank’s Internal Auditors and Directors of the Bank’s Financial Management Division to speak to the issues raised in the Auditor-General’s Report.

The Committee felt disrespected by the Governor for his persistent refusals to honour its invitations since his assumption of office and invoking the powers vested in it under Article 103 of the Constitution, summoned the Governor to appear before it with his full team on Wednesday June 24 and respond to the issues raised.

The Chairman of the Committee Dr James Klutse Avedzi reminded all Ghanaians that the Committee is constitutionally empowered to carry out investigation and enquiry into the activities and administration of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s) as Parliament may determine before the Committee, or those invited to give evidence under Article 103 (3) of the 1992 Constitution.