A member of the erstwhile Ewurama Addy Committee which streamlined emoluments for article 71 office holders, Dr. Gheysika Agambila, is calling for laws to stop funding of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) found to have misappropriated funds.
Dr. Gheysika Agambila, also a former Deputy Finance Minister and a public accounts professional, was speaking about reports of misappropriated funds, embezzlement, payment without bank or payment vouchers by MMDAs in the Auditor General’s report for 2014.
[contextly_sidebar id=”axwHnBtTaAaS2NyHI2qPYJHyPrWmBaCF”]According to a 152 page report from the Auditor General submitted to Parliament, 43 assemblies have failed to account for over 1 billion Ghana Cedis.
This follows the failure of the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, to pay into their bank accounts revenue collected contrary to part eight Section 31 of the Financial Memorandum which requires same of them.
The assemblies also failed to retire imprests granted for official assignments or provide evidence to support the receipts and utilization of goods and services.
The report also cited several cases of embezzlement of funds amounting to over 500, 000 Ghana Cedis by diverting cash inflows into personal accounts and insertions on cheques after they have been endorsed.
Public Accounts Committee’s are never complimented
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Dr. Agambila bemoaned the fact that there is always extensive media coverage of the Public Accounts Committee’s work but no implementation of its recommendations.
“The Public Accounts Committee looks at the Auditor Generals report, there is wide media coverage on the findings but there is no implementation. I think we should ask ourselves; why is it that there is no implementation?”
“Is it that there are political reasons for not enforcing. In the case of the Chief Executives of District Assemblies, they are appointed by the president and they are usually important political players within the political party so it’s possible that their political role inhibits the national executives from cracking the whip on them.”
Dr. Agambila however added that there are some heads of institutions with no political ties who are not held to account so there may be a general problem of tolerance of wrongdoing in Ghana.
“It will be sad to think that nothing is done because we have developed a culture of tolerance for wrongdoing.”
Dr. Agambila also found the fact no MMDCE has ever been prosecuted for corruption strange considering the findings. He thus suggested “our laws be looked at and if possible, legislation instituted to punish negligent and reckless officials.”
“If the law doesn’t provide for the sanctions, then we ought to consider sanctions; and making legislation that will provide the sanctions; but we need to look at the law and whether the District Assembly Common Fund Administrator can withhold funding from the District Assemblies that are negligent in their financial management.”
“If the Public Accounts Committee says it is proper to do that, then the necessary law can be passed to make that possible,” he stated.
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By Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana