The Auditor General, Daniel Domelevo, has recommended an amendment of the relevant legal framework to enable his office give an opinion on government budgets before they are approved by Parliament.
Mr. Domelevo believes that when this happens, the budget will be streamlined to avoid needless expenditure.
Mr. Domelevo, since coming into office has sought to make the office more proactive in fighting illicit financial flows within the system.
In an interview on the Pointblank segment on Eyewitness News on Monday, the Auditor General maintained that an input from his office into the budget adoption process will save the country a lot of money.
“In some jurisdiction, before the budget is tabled in parliament, the Auditor General has expressed his opinion to say that he thinks some allocation is going to wasteful areas. However it does not form part of Ghana’s system, it is very necessary because if you see a pipe which is leaking why do you put more water into it. The government may need to amend the law and ask the law to give the auditor general that responsibility,” he said.
Public servants earning over GHc3,726 to declare assets
Public Servants who earn GHc 3,727 and above as salaries, will be required to declare their assets, the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo has said.
Explaining this, Mr. Domelovo made reference to Article 286 of the constitution, which defines who public officers are, and why they must declare their assets.
These public officers ranged from the President of the Republic to Ministers of State to Heads of Ministry or government department or equivalent office in the Civil Service.
Mr. Domelovo further noted that Act 550, which is the public office holders (declaration of assets and disqualification) Act, added to this list by defining public office to include police, prison officers, persons in government-owned companies and “any other public officer whose salary is equal to that of a director in the civil service or above.”
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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana