MESJ call on AG to refer cases to Financial Tribunals

The Movement for Economic and Social Justice (MESJ), having read and given considerable thought to the 2012 Auditor General’s Report on the accounts of Public Board, Corporation and other statutory Institutions, wishes to bring the following issues to the attention of the public.

The MESJ is appalled at the wanton dissipation, mismanagement and outright stealing of public funds by people and institutions that have been entrusted with the responsibility of judiciously utilizing same.

The callous abuse of office by such people have not only been emboldened by the abject lack of prosecution or disallowance on the part of the Attorney General and Auditor General respectively, but also, the general climate of indifference, inefficiency and bureaucratic cronyism which have become synonymous with Ghana’s public and civil service sector.

The cumulative effect of these inefficiencies have undermined the institutions of state and sabotaged the collective aspirations of Ghanaians for better conditions of life, and our respectability in the eyes of the world community.

An Audit of MDA accounts covering 2012 alone, saw the country lose a whopping GH¢363,957,174.99; US$15,903,249.95; £668,785.06 and €9,307.02 due to cash irregularities, tax irregularities, unauthorized payments, misappropriation, procurement irregularities, non-availability of supporting documents, etc.

These losses are exclusive of what the state lost through other special agencies.

These sums in material terms could sufficiently reduce the scourge of “schools under trees” in deprived communities across the 10 regions of Ghana; substantially supply schools with standard furniture, and sustain the monthly salaries of thousands of trained teachers for a considerable period.

More worrying to the Movement for Economic and Social Justice is the revelation that these financial losses have occurred at key statutory agencies including the Judiciary, the Central Bank of Ghana and the Health Sector (where millions of Cedis collected from contributors in trust of Health Insurance with the NHIA, have gone missing without trace).

In this regard, The MESJ is very worried that since the establishment of the Financial Tribunals about nine months ago by the Chief Justice, Her Lordship Madam Georgian Wood, not even a single case emanating from the Auditor General’s report has been referred to the tribunals by the Attorney General. This attitude of the Attorney General makes us doubt the commitment of the government led by President John Dramani Mahama to fight corruption, plain stealing and reckless handling of our resources.

It is the view of the MESJ and a widely held perception among the Ghanaian public that these agencies of state have reneged on applying their offices satisfactorily in serving the public interest.

We in the MESJ are calling on the government led by President John Dramani Mahama to show consideration for the plight of the poor people of Ghana by taking all legitimate actions to retrieve the stolen resources by the public servants and correct the irregularities in our public sector.

We in the MESJ sincerely hope that the government will give consideration to our call as a demonstration of its commitment to the principles of protecting the public interest and punishing wrong doers.

We call on all Ghanaians, progressive forces of social change and activists for justice to join in this civil effort to restore order, equity and accountability in the governing systems of our beloved country.

Stand up for Ghana.

Dauda Mohammed Suru

(Coordinator)

Accra, Thursday November 20th 2014

For further information and clarity please contact the following:

Sedem Sylvester Ofori – 0244 549 493

Alhaji Khuzaima