PAC urges Auditor-General to furnish it with infractions of separate ministries

James Klutse Avedzi, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, has appealed to the Auditor-General to help the Committee by separating some infractions cited against related Ministries for easy identification and clarification.

That, he said, would aid the PAC to have a coordinated and systematic public hearing depending on the institution that appeared before the Committee.

Mr Avedzi appealed on Tuesday during the Committee's second sitting which revealed that some infractions cited against the Ministry of Food and Agriculture had been merged with that of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

This was when PAC considered the Report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana Ministries, Departments, and Other Agencies (MDAs) for the year ended 31st December 2020.

The PAC commenced sittings on Monday, January 16, 2023, to examine the Auditor General’s report on public accounts of the government for the year 2020.

As part of their scheduled work, the Committee would also scrutinise the Auditor General’s report on public accounts of various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies during the sittings.

Further, the accounts of public boards, corporations, and other statutory institutions for the year 2020 would also be considered.

Proceedings of the almost two-week Sitting are expected to be concluded on Friday, January 27, 2023, according to a statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate of Parliament and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

Among the Ministries that appeared before the Committee on Tuesday were the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

The Controller and Accountant-General, Mr Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem, and the Commissioner General of Ghana Revenue Authority, Dr Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah also led officials from their respective institutions to respond to queries cited in the reports.

The Committee is expected to meet the Ministry of Health at their next public hearing tomorrow.