PAC slams Office of Government Machinery - Officials arrive late at sitting
The Office of Government Machinery (OGM) came under heavy criticism from members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament for what the committee described as a poor representation of the Presidency during its consideration of the Auditor-General’s 2024 report.
At its sitting in Accra yesterday, members of the committee were visibly displeased when the Acting Chief Director of OGM, Dr Abubakari Wayo, arrived nearly an hour late.
The Chairperson of the committee, Abena Osei-Asare, rebuked him, emphasising that his 27 years of public service should have taught him the importance of punctuality and accountability.
“It cost the nation close to an hour because we're waiting for you. You are the head of the entity; you have been given that mandate, that role and you have to come here to discharge your responsibility and you tell us you were tidying up something in the office.”
The Chairperson reminded OGM that as the seat of the Presidency, it must set a higher standard of accountability.
The Vice-Chair of the committee, Davis Ansah Opoku, added that the practice had always been for political heads to appear before PAC since they were the ones empowered to make changes at the policy level.
He, therefore, advised that in future sittings, senior appointees such as a Deputy Chief of Staff should accompany the technical team to answer questions on OGM.
When the Ranking Member, Samuel Atta Mills, pressed Dr Wayo on his explanation for the delay, the Acting Chief Director admitted that he had to clear documents with a superior officer before appearing, an explanation the Ranking Member deemed unacceptable.
Financial irregularities
The committee’s frustrations deepened when it emerged that the Council of State, one of the key agencies under OGM, was absent despite having received an invitation.
Members warned that such lapses bordered on contempt of Parliament. “Council of State is only a three-minute walk from here.
This is most irregular,” the Ranking Member said, before ordering that its representatives be summoned immediately.
When the Northern Development Authority (NDA), another agency under OGM, took its turn, serious financial irregularities were uncovered.
The Auditor-General had cited the authority for failing to present payment vouchers totalling GH¢400,236 during audit inspections.
Though the current Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) claimed the vouchers had since been traced and submitted, the committee stressed that they were presented only after the Auditor-General’s report had been laid in Parliament, casting doubt on the credibility of the documentation.
More infractions
Further queries revealed that salary advances amounting to GH¢548,983.48 had been granted to 10 officers, most of whom defaulted in repayment.
While the NDA said letters had been written to recover the funds, the committee urged that deductions be tied to any end-of-service benefits to prevent further loss to the state.
The Auditor-General also reported outstanding receivables of over GH¢82 million owed to the authority by various clients, some dating back more than a decade.
The committee directed that an age analysis of the debts be furnished to aid recovery and determine possible write-offs.
Council of State
Later, when the Council of State finally appeared, the Head of Administration, Valentine Maayir, admitted to exercising “indiscretion” in validating salaries for a staff member who had vacated the post.
Though the amount was subsequently recovered, PAC members warned that future infractions could attract sanctions under the Public Financial Management Act, including dismissal or suspension.
