Accra: OccupyGhana has called for immediate enforcement of Auditor-General's findings following a recent high-level meeting convened by President John Dramani Mahama. In a press release issued on Wednesday, the pressure group welcomed the meeting involving the President, Chief Justice, and Auditor-General, but cautioned that it must not become 'publicity and short on results.'
According to Ghana News Agency, the group demanded the resumption of disallowance and surcharge actions by the Auditor-General, alongside enforcement and prosecution by the Attorney-General, as directed by the Supreme Court. It also called for 'judicial support to ensure that these actions are sustained.'
OccupyGhana referenced the 2017 Supreme Court ruling in its case, which affirmed the Auditor-General's constitutional duty to disallow illegal expenditures and surcharge those responsible. 'Every single day that the Auditor-General and Attorney-General fail to act is a continuing breach of the Constitution. The law does not need to be 'strengthened'; it simply needs to be obeyed,' the statement said.
President Mahama met with the Chief Justice, Attorney-General, and Auditor-General on Monday to discuss measures for enforcing the Auditor-General's reports and designating special courts to handle related offences. OccupyGhana noted that under former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo, Ghana issued 112 surcharge certificates between 2017 and 2018, earning praise from the World Bank for active recovery efforts. 'When enforced, it worked,' the group stated.
It expressed concern that progress had stalled, saying: 'No known disallowances or surcharges have been made, and no funds have been recovered.' The group added that the Auditor-General had defied both the Constitution and the Supreme Court without consequence.
OccupyGhana warned that the outcome of Monday's meeting would be meaningless unless it led to concrete action, describing it as 'photo opportunities presented as reform.' 'Ghana deserves institutions that act, not officials who only announce intentions,' the group said, adding: 'Ghanaians deserve accountability, not publicity.'
