The Public Accountant Committee (PAC) has appealed to the government to give them prosecutorial powers which they believe will help them to deal with officials cited for infractions in the Auditor+General’s report.
The Vice Chairman of the Committee who doubles as MP for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abbrem, Samuel Atta Mills, made the call in an interview with Adom News.
According to him, the Committee and other state agencies must be given the power to promptly prosecute such persons to serve as a deterrent to others.
PAC annually investigates and seeks clarity on the spending of public organisations in the Auditor-General’s report.
Article 187, clause 2 of the 1992 Constitution gives the Auditor-General power to audit all public offices and report same to Parliament.
Parliament also reserves the power to interrogate queries and infractions by inviting agencies and officers involved.
This ritual has been ongoing without a stiffer punishment for those officials involved and nothing harsh to demotivate others.
This loose activity and mere formality make the work of PAC seen as toothless since the furthest it can go is to make recommendations.
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But Mr Mills said he believes this should not happen to Ghana.
Citing possible factors which result in the infractions, he called on governments to employ the right people with skills to reduce shameful activities in public spaces.