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Kwamena Duncan, a former Central Regional Minister under the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, has fumed at President John Mahama following his recent remarks about the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The former Regional Minister highlighted that if President Mahama truly had integrity in fighting corruption, he should have started from his party, adding that in three weeks since he assumed office, the NDC government entered a nolle prosequi and cleared its members.
Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo morning show, Kwamena Duncan stated, “Mahama said he was watching PAC, and he needs a fast-track to Nsawam. If there is anyone who should be in Nsawam Prison, it should be President Mahama himself because, in my view, he was involved in the purchase of aeroplanes for the Armed Forces”.
He said he is going to meet the Attorney General. We are talking about the country’s resources and yet, individuals standing trial for sums totalling over GH₵7 billion have been freed by the state through nolle prosequi, including the finance minister, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana. These are big monies; if indeed they had integrity, the system itself should pronounce that integrity for them. Let the system clear them”.
“If they truly had integrity, the judicial system itself should have cleared them. But instead, two or three weeks you entered into a nolle prosequi in the cases and freed all of them, then you turn around complaining about the Public Accounts Committee? Why were the NDC people freed? Don’t they also deserve a fast-track trial?” Duncan questioned.
His comments come on the heels of President Mahama saying it is so pathetic watching Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearings.
President Mahama noted that there should be a process to fast-track the prosecution of state officials who engage in financial malpractices exposed by the Auditor-General’s report.
John Mahama expressed deep concern over the persistent recklessness and scale of financial irregularities uncovered each year at the Public Accounts Committee sittings.
According to John Mahama, he is meeting with the Chief Justice, the Attorney General, and others to find a final solution to the Auditor-General’s report.
Speaking at the 12th Annual Conference of Chairpersons of Governing Boards and Chief Executives of Public Services in Ho on Wednesday, October 8, John Mahama lamented, “Recently, I’ve been watching the Public Accounts Committee, and it’s so pathetic, you know. Why must we every year congregate at the Public Accounts Committee, and then you hear all kinds of atrocious, you know, things? I mean, recklessness with public funds and resources.
“And so, I have a meeting on Thursday with the Chief Justice, the Attorney General, and others to find a final solution to this Auditor-General’s report. Those persons who infringe, are found guilty of infractions, or do not follow due procedure, or lead to loss of public resources — we must have a fast-track process,” he said.
John Mahama further cried out that despite the constitutional provisions guiding the implementation of audit recommendations, very little has been achieved
He explained, “We’ve not fully implemented the constitutional provision. There is a part that says after the Public Accounts Committee has sat on the Auditor-General’s report, Parliament must set up a committee to implement the findings”.
“What we don’t know is whether it should be a parliamentary committee or one made up of non-parliamentarians.”
“Every department is supposed to set up an ARIC, but once they’ve come from the Public Accounts Committee, virtually nobody follows up on the recommendations,” he said.
President Mahama added, “The audit reports implementation committees are not working. We must find a way to create a deterrent, until people know they can be held responsible for these things they do.”
“If we save GH¢15 billion, can you imagine what it could do? We must hold those who misuse the people’s resources to account so that others do not follow suit.”
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