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

The post Auditor General wants to vet budget before parliamentary approval appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on  Tuesday, Mr. Domelevo said he was content with the Auditor-General’s powers to surcharge and disallow expenditure, per Article 181 of the constitution.

[contextly_sidebar id=”oajSU76iNgCDZLxFTM5iH8gxO4ONN5mm”]”That is just a request we have made to the Attorney-General. It is not something I am dying for. That is not the main job of the Auditor General. My job is to audit and that is what I am doing,” the Auditor General stated.

The said remarks on prosecutorial powers were made at a press conference where Mr. Domelevo noted that, a 2016 audit of the finances of the various ministries, departments and agencies, revealed that some state agencies engaged in unlawful monetary practices.

Though he also said he had applied for such powers, Mr. Domelevo said he was well aware the mandate of prosecution lies with the Attorney-General’s office, and was simply asking if lawyers in his office could help with prosecution when necessary.

“I have just made a request to my Attorney-General that if it is possible for the lawyers in my office to help in prosecuting some the cases. It is not as if I don’t get that authority or power from Attorney-General, we cannot function as auditors. From my point of view, it is being played out of proportion by the media.”

62 firms to cough up Ghc8.8m

Mr. Domelevo further reminded that, the essence of his press conference on Monday was “to explain the liabilities that we have audited, what we have found wrong, what we have found right to people. That just came as a side comment and it is attracting too much attention for my liking. I am not in dire need of prosecution powers.”

The Auditor-General in December 2017, announced that it has surcharged 62 organisations for receiving payments from the state without any documentation as proof.

The surcharge certificates totalling GHc8,886,791 was for the period between December 31, 2013, and December 31, 2015.

The companies, mostly private organisations, also included some state institutions and staff of some government agencies.

In light of these, Mr. Domelevo stressed that prosecution and other disciplinary measures were key to curbing financial malfeasance.

“The biggest problem of financial management is that there are no consequences for infractions. People do that and they get away with it… but if you do it and you don’t get away with it, you will think twice and people who want to do it will also think twice.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post My ‘request’ for prosecutorial powers overblown – Auditor-General appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.