GH¢68 billion audit is a distraction from critical national issues - Egyapa Mercer

Former Sekondi MP and Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, has criticised the government's handling of the audit regarding GH¢68.7 billion in outstanding claims from contractors and suppliers.

Mercer's comments follow revelations from the Ministry of Finance, indicating that billions of cedis in claims were rejected due to widespread irregularities uncovered during the audit.

Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem disclosed that GH¢8.1 billion in claims were disallowed due to issues like unsupported documentation, duplicated submissions, inflated figures, and payments for unexecuted work.

Speaking on Joy FM's Newsfile, Mercer described the emphasis on the audit as a Public Relations strategy designed to divert attention from pressing national issues, according to a report by citinewsroom.com on March 14, 2026.

“This is all for PR to deflect attention from urgent matters facing the country,” he pointed out.

He questioned the timing, suggesting it overshadowed other concerns affecting Ghanaians, such as the recent cocoa price reduction and the controversy surrounding security service recruitment, where over 500,000 applicants competed for just 5,000 positions.

Mercer urged the government to prioritise addressing economic and employment challenges rather than allowing the audit to dominate public discourse.

NAD/AE

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