The Auditor General, Daniel Domelevo, has promised to retrieve every pesewa syphoned from the State’s coffers.
He was speaking after a Supreme Court ruling which directed his office to begin the process of surcharging any person who has embezzled public funds.
Commenting on the ruling on Accra-based Starr FM, Mr Domelevo said they will execute the ruling given by the Supreme Court.
“The ruling bring clarity to the provisions of the constitution. Hitherto, there has been two schools of thoughts; one school is of the view that as long as the Auditor General produces the annual report to Parliament and mentioned in there infractions and irregularities in financial management that was enough…which is the old school.”
“However, there is another school of thought which I belong to which is of the view that the constitution is very clear that in the course of the audit, if you come across any expenditure which is contrary to law it must be disallowed and whoever is responsible to be held accountable.”
He said the unanimity of the ruling is extremely resounding and that “wherever there is outright embezzlement of state funds, we will go for it.”
The Supreme Court ordered the Auditor General to start the process of surcharging all persons who are found to have misappropriated public fund in their reports.
This ruling was passed after a pressure group, Occupy Ghana filed a suit against the Auditor General praying the court to compel them not to only report on financial misappropriations by public officials but to take steps to retrieve all state finances that may have gone into wrong hands.
Below are all three reliefs granted by the court;
1. The Auditor-General must issue disallowance and surcharge in respect of all monies found to have been expended contrary to law.
2. The Auditor-General must take steps to recover all amounts lost to the state, and this covers private persons.
3. Attorney-General must ensure enforcement of the orders including criminal prosecution where necessary.
God is watching