President John Dramani Mahama has boldly sent a message to public officials who have been implicated in financial irregularities captured in the Auditor-General’s reports.
Mahama told audit offenders to either refund the stolen money or they will be sent to Nsawam prison for misappropriation of funds.
According to President Mahama, he is concern of the recurring financial losses highlighted in annual audit reports.
He described the recurring financial losses as a significant burden on the national economy, adding that constant audit findings point to deep-rooted weaknesses in public financial management and accountability.
Speaking at a diaspora town hall meeting in the United Kingdom on Sunday, May 31, John Mahama stated, “Every year, you hear the Auditor General’s report; Ghana loses 12 billion cedis from misappropriations and things. The Chief Justice has graciously set up audit courts,” he disclosed.
“The Attorney General and the Auditor General are going to take out all the people who have misappropriated, and we’re putting them in front of those special courts to either refund our money or proceed to NSAWAM and go and catch some rest there,” he noted.
In related news, three top officials at the heart of Ghana’s organisation of the 13th Africa Games have been ordered by the Auditor-General to refund GHC579 million.
Reports suggest the forensic audit commissioned by President Mahama last year uncovered several widespread instances of cost inflation, irregular payments, and unsupported expenditure across contracts linked to the event.
The three officials include Mustapha Ussif (former Minister of Youth and Sports), William Kartey (former Chief Director)and Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare (former LOC Chairman).
Although the Auditor-General did not make any criminal findings, it recommended that the three officials refund the money to the state.
Also, the Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Prof. Amin Alhassan, was named in relation to a training contract.
The auditors have recommended the recovery of an estimated GHC 579,114,352.24, alongside $44,354,881.77 and €629,070, quoting overpricing, unjustified payments, undelivered goods, and contractual variances.
According to the report, the findings cut across catering, accommodation, transport, equipment procurement, infrastructure, and administrative spending, painting a picture of systemic cost inflation during Ghana’s hosting of the continental multi-sport event.
However, the Former Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has broken his silence concerning the irregularities of the 2023 African Games Forensic Audit attributed to him.
According to Mustapha Ussif, he is not responsible for any such irregularities.
He disclosed that he looks forward to the report being presented to Parliament for him to respond to all the claims of impropriety in the said report.
In a press statement, Mustapha Ussif wrote, “My attention has been drawn to the release of an audit report, which report is titled, Comprehensive Audit Report on the 13th African Games, Accra 2023.
The said report, I understand, attributes various irregularities to me. I, however, deny being responsible for any such irregularities, if any at all,
It is my understanding that the report of the audit will be presented to Parliament, and persons who may have answers to findings will be invited to respond accordingly.
Therefore, I look forward to the opportunity to respond to all the claims of impropriety in the said report”.
THE ANTI LGBTQ BILL HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN PASSED
— GHnow (@ghnow_) May 29, 2026
Watch the moment the Anti LGBTQ bill was passed by parliament #GHNow pic.twitter.com/nicwSl1KA8
