Specialised courts for Auditor-General report infractions, galamsey
Specialised financial courts will soon be established to deal with infractions in the Auditor-General's reports, illegal mining (galamsey) menace and other environmental crimes, President John Dramani Mahama has said.
This was firmed up last Monday after the President had held a meeting with the acting Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie; the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, and the Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu.
Present at the meeting were a Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Gabriel Pwamang; the Judicial Secretary, Musah Ahmed; the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah; the Legal Counsel to the President, Marietta Brew; the Presidential Advisor, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, and the Minister of State for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu.
Circuit adjudications
The meeting recommended that the specialised courts hold circuit adjudications across the country.
In addition, the Auditor-General will, in line with Article 187(7)(b) of the Constitution, continue to "disallow" illegal expenditures and "surcharge" the persons responsible for them.
The move is a significant step in the government's intensified fight against financial malfeasance and the destruction of the country's natural resources, particularly the menace of illegal mining.
The meeting reaffirmed the mandate of the Auditor-General to, in line with Article 187(7)(b) of the 1992 Constitution, "disallow" any item of expenditure contrary to law and to "surcharge" the person responsible for any illegal payment.
This empowers the Auditor-General to recover lost public funds directly from the individuals involved.
The high-level meeting underscores the government's commitment to strengthening accountability and enforcing fiscal discipline in the management of public resources.
Background
A fortnight ago, President Mahama directed that persons found culpable in the misuse or misappropriation of public funds be prosecuted under a fast-track judicial process to serve as a deterrent to others.
He said the annual ritual of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting to expose financial irregularities and mismanagement across public institutions must come to an end through effective enforcement and accountability.
While opening the 12th Annual Conference of Chairpersons of Governing Boards and Councils, Chief Directors and Chief Executives of the Public Services of Ghana in Ho, the President described as “pathetic” the continuous reckless use of public resources every year.
“I have a meeting on Thursday with the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General and others to find a final solution to this Auditor-General’s report. Persons who are found guilty of infractions or who lead to the loss of public resources must have a fast-track process to Nsawam — fast-track, before you see, Nsawam, six months,” he said.
President Mahama stressed that until there was a deterrent, the Auditor-General’s reports would continue to reveal staggering losses, noting that the latest figures showed misappropriations and infractions amounting to about GH¢15 billion.
“If we saved GH¢15 billion, can you imagine what it could do for our nation?” he queried.
