Editorial by Ghanaian Times: Proof’dIndebtedness to AESL deserves deterrent handling

Some of the things revealed to the public at the sittings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament are irritating and just as they are intriguing.

Currently, one such revelation has to do with debts owed the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) due to its failure to sign contractual agreements with project clients.

The AESL is a public organisation of practising professional consulting architects; civil, structural, electrical and mechanical engineers; and land and quantity surveyors.

The mention of these professionals obviously tells the services the AESL renders such as architectural drawings, civil engineering and consultancy services in the various fields.

The AESL mainly renders services to a considerable number of public and private organisations, including the Electricity Corporation of Ghana, Faroe Atlantic, Ghana Water Company Limited, Ghana Education Service and the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

The calibre of persons working with the AESL gives the impression that the managers at the place should be highly knowledgeable and ones that must not be overtaken by events.

Therefore, it comes to us as a big surprise that the management of AESL would allow the organisation to render services to its clients without any contractual agreements.

Upon which basis then were the services rendered such that, for example, a review of clients’ indebtedness showed an outstanding debt of GH¢22,035,533 owed it as at December 31, 2020, with the Ministry of Education (MoE)’s indebtedness of GH¢16,982,845 making up 77 per cent of it?

This is a blot on the competence of the management that committed the error as the whole thing paints a picture of their ineptitude and lack of dedication to duty.

The clients such as the MoE cannot be left off the hook either.

Does it mean it did not occur to clients that there should be contractual agreements before they could secure the services of AESL or it was a matter of gentleman’s agreement to shortchange the AESL as a corporate citizen and, for that matter, the country as a whole?

It is sad comment that AESL management was unable to put in place a clear debt-recovery mechanism, resulting in the long-standing and growing debts owed by government agencies, especially the MoE.

The whole issue leaves much to be desired.

Similar misdeeds occur in other public organisations such as allowing public infrastructure to deteriorate beyond measure before being fixed, mostly at the promptings of the media or some individuals.

It is clear that people in leadership positions do not seek the good of the country but only their parochial interest such as enjoying all the goodies even to the hurt of their organisations and the country.

It is about time Parliament enacted laws to deal with these acts that run down public institutions.

We make this point because it appears some of the problems are emerging issues existing laws do not address.

We think the AESL indebtedness case must not be treated as business as usual.

It must be handled as a matter of public interest that should be resolved in a way that can be deterrent to others managing public organisations who display ineptitude, negligence and lack of dedication.