PAC orders former ICOUR MD to vacate bungalow after retirement

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed Dr. Benedict Bonaventure Aligeba, former Managing Director of the Irrigation Company of Upper Region Limited (ICOUR), to vacate his official bungalow following the expiration of the one-year post-retirement period.

The directive was issued during the Committee’s fifth day of public hearings on the 2025 Auditor-General’s reports, where several public institutions were scrutinized over their management of public resources and compliance with procurement regulations.

At the same hearing, the Committee urged the Tree Crops Development Authority to make productive use of about GH¢25 million held in its account to support the institution’s operations and growth.

The Authority’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Andy Osei Okrah, told the Committee that the institution regulates the cashew, coconut, oil palm, rubber, mango, and shea sectors. He also said the authority had been training farmers to improve their yields and boost productivity.

The committee commended Dr. Okrah and his management team for their work but urged them to sustain their efforts. It further directed the Authority to ensure that ownership documents for vehicles purchased for the institution were properly secured.

Meanwhile, the Cocoa Processing Company Limited was cited in the 2025 Auditor-General’s Report for procurement breaches and advised to comply with the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663), as amended.

The Committee also urged the company to enroll on the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS) to strengthen compliance with procurement requirements.

The Public Procurement Act provides the legal framework for the acquisition of goods, works, and services using public funds, while GHANEPS is intended to support transparency and accountability in public procurement.

EA