The Ministry of Finance has rejected claims that it made payments for contracts on behalf of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) without full disclosure, following concerns raised in the 68 billion cedi arrears audit report.
The Ministry insists that all relevant stakeholders, including MDAs, the Bank of Ghana, and other key institutions, were duly informed about payments and bond issuances used in settling government arrears.
The issue was brought to the fore at a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing on Thursday, April 2, where officials responded to allegations that some contract payments were made outside the knowledge of the beneficiary ministries.
Appearing before the PAC, Director of Finance at the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Emmanuel Mammara, said repeated efforts to obtain details from the Finance Ministry had proven unsuccessful.
“On this particular one, we went not once, not twice, several times to the Ministry of Finance… just tell us who and who you have paid so we update our records. They said no; they were dealing with the Ministry of Finance,” he told the committee.
He added that some contractors, including those owed more than two million cedis, were paid without the ministry’s knowledge.
When asked whether the contractors were part of the ministry’s payment list, the director clarified that they were not included in the list submitted by the ministry.
However, the Ministry of Finance has strongly disputed these claims, insisting that the Roads Ministry and other stakeholders were fully copied into all relevant payment and bond processes.
An official at the ministry explained that documentation shows the Ministry of Roads and Highways was included in communications regarding bond issuance used to settle arrears.
“The letter, which they’ve sent me a copy of… shows that the Ministry of Roads and Highways was copied in the bond issuance,” the official stated.
He further explained that multiple institutions were included in the communication chain once bonds were issued.
“It was signed by Dr. John Akuma; it was copied to the Minister of Finance, the Honourable Minister of Roads and Highways, the Minister of State, the Deputy Minister of Finance, the Chief Director, the Coordinating Director, TDMD, Bank of Ghana, and people who matter; all those people are copied.”
The ministry maintains that, contrary to the allegations, no payments were made in secrecy, and all required institutions were duly informed through official channels.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
