Prosecute public officials for embezzlement — PAC
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has restated the need to prosecute personnel of metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) who are found to have misappropriated funds.
The committee described as unacceptable the level of negligence and intransigence on the part of MMDAs that had led to the needless dissipation of development funds meant for alleviating the plight of people in rural communities.
The Member of Parliament for the Asunafo North Constituency, Mr Robert Sarfo Mensah, who chaired the committee’s sitting in Tamale, said: “We see a lot of laxity and lack of preparedness on the part of managers of the assemblies’ funds as a major source of concern.”
He was speaking at the sitting of the committee on the Auditor General’s reports on the public accounts of MMDAs in the Northern zone comprising the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions in Tamale last Wednesday.
According to the Auditor General’s report, about GH¢21 million was misappropriated by the MMDAs nationwide in 2012.
Other irregularities in the Auditor General’s report were found in payments, which were made without supporting documents, taxes, award of contracts and procurement of goods and services.
Some of the assemblies also failed to use their share of the Common Fund for the intended purpose of development at their respective communities and rather dispensed it on emoluments.
A member of the committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakari Dei, also observed that the level of misappropriation of funds was widespread, and acknowledged that it was “time to crack the whip to bring erring officers to order.”
Another member of the committee, Mr George Loh, advised finance officers of MMDAs to be prudent in their activities to maintain a sound financial regime at their respective assemblies, since they would be surcharged for any breach of the law.
In his opening remarks, the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, said the work of the committee gave expression to Parliament’s oversight responsibility over the public purse.
He observed that in spite of its laudable objectives, there was still the perception that the committee sought to witch-hunt, victimise or embarrass persons who appeared before it.
“Even though this is an erroneous impression, it throws a challenge to us as a country on how we can bring everyone on board to appreciate the important role of state institutions or structures that seek to protect the public purse,” the minister said.
Alhaji Limuna further urged the committee to seek to pursue reforms that would in the first place regulate and prevent irregularities and corrupt practices from occurring.
He also entreated the people to take the committee’s proceedings serious so that lessons learnt “could guide us in our future endeavours”.
