Convener of the OneGhana Movement and Trustee of the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey, Senyo Hosi, has described the revelations from the government’s public claims audit as evidence of deep systemic failure within the country’s governance structure.
Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, March 14, he argued that the scale of irregularities uncovered points to a system that has long enabled the looting of state resources.
According to Mr Hosi, the findings should not be viewed as isolated incidents but as proof of entrenched weaknesses in public financial management.
“I’m clear in my mind that our governance system is designed to loot the state,” he said.
“When you see the magnitude of irregularities in claims submitted for payment, you realise this is not accidental but systemic.”
Audit findings
The remarks follow disclosures by the Ministry of Finance in Parliament that GH¢8.1 billion in public claims had been rejected after an audit uncovered irregularities including unsupported documentation, duplication, inflated amounts and payments for work that was never undertaken.
Out of GH¢68.7 billion submitted for verification, the ministry said GH¢45.4 billion was validated for payment, while GH¢13.2 billion was flagged for serious concerns.
Call for systemic reforms
Mr Hosi warned that without fundamental reforms to the country’s governance and accountability framework, similar problems would persist.
He stressed that institutions responsible for financial oversight must be strengthened to prevent collusion between contractors and public officials.
The Ministry of Finance has since referred the audit findings to the Office of the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Justice for possible criminal prosecution.
The government has also announced a “triple-lock” accountability framework aimed at tightening verification procedures and strengthening budget controls before public payments are approved.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com