Anti-corruption campaigner Edem Senanu has raised concerns over what he describes as systemic failures in public financial management, following the summoning of a former health minister over a controversial GH¢20 million payment for an uncompleted hospital project.
His comments come after Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee invited former Health Minister Bernard Okoe-Boye to appear before it regarding the disbursement of mobilisation funds for the proposed Parliamentary Service Hospital, a project that is yet to commence.
The summons, issued by Ranking Member Samuel Atta Mills on Wednesday, also extends to the former Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund and the accountant involved in the transaction, as the Committee seeks to establish accountability.
Findings indicate that the GH¢20 million payment was made on December 31, 2024, during the administration of former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
The report further shows that Dr. Okoe-Boye signed the contract for the hospital project during his tenure as Minister for Health.
Speaking on JoyFM’s Top Story on April 1, Mr. Senanu criticised the apparent disregard for established financial procedures, arguing that existing laws and policies governing public spending are often ignored.
“It appears that we have a systemic failure where the various policies and laws that are supposed to guide what we do are often ignored,” he said.
He noted that funds are sometimes disbursed outside laid-down procedures, with little effort to ensure value for money or verify whether contracted deliverables are executed.
“One of the things that strikes me the most is the weak follow-up to ensure that we get value for money and that deliverables are actually received,” he added, describing the situation as deeply troubling.
Mr. Senanu further questioned the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms, suggesting that concerns about misuse of public funds are often only addressed when flagged by auditors.
On proposals to restrict payments close to the end of a government’s tenure, he dismissed the idea as ineffective, insisting that the focus should rather be on strengthening systems and enforcing accountability regardless of timing.
“The systems must be made to work irrespective of who is in office or whether it is an election year,” he stressed.
He also called for the passage of the Conduct of Public Officers Bill, arguing that clear sanctions are needed to deter breaches of financial regulations.
According to him, the lack of consequences has created a culture of impunity, where public officials feel emboldened to disregard established rules without facing repercussions.
“We need to be sanctioning and making people pay the price for ignoring laws and policies,” he said.
The Public Accounts Committee is expected to hear from the individuals involved as it continues its probe into the payment and broader concerns about accountability in public financial management.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com