Kufuor retires Auditor General

The Auditor-General, Edward Duah Agyeman has been asked to resign from office.

The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, Hon. Samuel Sallas-Mensah told JOYFM the advise for Mr. Duah-Agyeman to ‘go home’ came from President Kufuor.

Sallas-Mensah told Joy News’ Parliamentary Correspondent, Araba Koomson that following the Committee’s disapproval of the Auditor-General’s continued stay in office, which was duly communicated to the Speaker, the latter forwarded the concern to the President.

“It wasn’t a directive issued in public but quite on the quiet, he has been asked since last Tuesday,” Mr. Mensah said.

He explained that the Auditor-General should have been out of office since April, 2006, however he continued to work and signed official documents much against constitutional provisions, and it affected the work of the House negatively.

“He keeps signing reports coming to this House which as a committee we cannot work on …We cannot work on any report from the AG’s office as of now and it’s like he is wasting the taxpayer’s money by signing those reports. As I’m speaking, the Auditor General’s report on the consolidated fund for 2006 is supposed to be laid in Parliament by nest month. Who is going to sign that account? If he signs it it is going to cost a financial loss to the state.”

The parliamentary committee expects President Kufuor to announce a replacement soon.

Mr. Duah-Agyeman has come under intense pressure and criticism from the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament for his continued stay in office since his contract expired.

The National Democratic Congress’ General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia is already in court over the matter seeking a declaration that Mr. Duah-Agyeman's continued stay in office was null and void because it breached provisions of the 1992 Republican Constitution.