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Auditor-General Report: GH¢816.720.71 nurses hostel not pre-audited
The Auditor-General has stated that the payment of GH¢816,720.71 for the construction of nursing training hostel, teachers quarters and a 3-unit classroom block at Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti Region was never pre-audited.
This was contained in the Performance Audit Report of the Auditor-General on Capital Projects Funded through District Development Facility (DDF) in 30 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in Ghana from 2008-2018.
The report, which painted a gloomy picture of blatant disregard to laid-down procedures in state institutions, particularly with regard to payment for execution of projects, said internal auditors were sometimes made to stamp and backdate payment vouchers after payments had already been effected.
In some instances, the report noted that the requirement to pre-audit was ignored before payments are made.
“In the course of the audit, we observed that internal audit processes at the district level are disregarded thereby making them weak and undermining the control mechanism. Internal auditors are either by-passed or made to validate payment certificates without verifying the work done.”
It said even for some of the best scenarios for example, in the Asante Akyem North District Assembly, four out of fourteen payments were not audited while at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly five out of eleven of the payment vouchers were not audited before payments were made.
The report said it found out that payments made against work done on site, were made for non-executed works resulting in overpayments.
For example, it said the pavement work at the taxi station of Ho barracks was paid in full when only 50 per cent of the work was done.
In some instance, items that were specified for installation were omitted yet payments were made like the U drain around the Bibiani Police headquarters, which was not done yet paid in full.
In Prestea Huni Valley, the report said that the specified depth of the borehole at Gordon Community was 35 to 45 metres for a mechanised pump. Upon completion of the drilling, an AFRIDEV hand pump recommended for a depth of 16.6 to 30 metres was installed and therefore was not deep enough to pump out water from below 35meters when it was completed and handed over.
The contractor was paid in full for a mechanised borehole when he provided a manual hand pump borehole and the community had no water.
“We observed that MMDAs make payment for no work done due to insufficient
due diligence and familiarisation. In the individual reports, we have recommended for disallowance and surcharge of the individuals concerned.”
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
The Ghana National Gas Company has marked this year’s International Women’s Day with a call for stronger mentorship, collaboration and deliberate action to promote women’s participation and leadership in Ghana’s energy sector.
The event, held under the theme “Give to Gain,” brought together government officials, industry leaders, students and women’s groups to reflect on the progress women have made and the steps needed to expand opportunities for them, particularly in the energy industry.
The event sought to empower women and create equal opportunities that would strengthen institutions, drive innovation and contribute to national development.
In her opening remarks, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, stated that the progress women enjoy today did not happen by accident but was the result of sacrifices made by others who created opportunities and opened doors.
She explained that every generation had a responsibility to protect and expand those gains, noting that more women were now entering sectors that were once dominated by men.
Madam Arthur added that institutions must intentionally create opportunities through mentorship, professional development and leadership support for women.
According to her, this would not only promote fairness but also strengthen Ghana’s competitiveness in sectors driven by science, technology and innovation.
She urged women who had benefited from opportunities to help open doors for others, stressing that true leadership was measured not by how far individuals rose but by how many others succeeded because of their support.
Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration at the Presidency, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, said the month of March remained important for Ghana because it celebrated both the country’s independence and the achievements of women worldwide.
She noted that the annual observance provided an opportunity not only to celebrate women’s contributions but also to examine barriers that continued to limit their full participation in several sectors.
Madam Bampoe Addo explained that the theme “Give to Gain” highlighted the importance of women supporting one another through mentorship, knowledge sharing and opportunities, adding that when women thrived, institutions and societies also benefited.
She pointed out that women were increasingly making an impact across Ghana’s energy sector, while government efforts to stabilise the sector and expand electricity access remained crucial for economic growth and job creation.
Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Gas Company, Judith Adjobah Blay, said the theme emphasised the reciprocal benefits of investing in women.
She announced the formation of the Ghana Gas Ladies Association, describing it as a platform to support mentorship, professional development and collaboration among women within the company and the wider energy sector.
Madam Blay added that the initiative would help encourage more women to pursue careers in areas such as engineering, science and leadership within the industry.
Board member of Ghana National Gas Company, Emmanuel Vincent, stated that the company recognised the important role women played in shaping the energy sector.
He noted that management was making deliberate efforts to increase the representation of qualified women, especially in engineering and leadership positions, adding that empowering women would support innovation and national development.
International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 every year to recognize the achievements of women across the world and to promote gender equality, women’s empowerment and equal opportunities in all sectors of society.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, has explained that the pass mark for the ongoing security services aptitude test was set at 65 because of the limited number of spaces available in the current recruitment exercise.
According to him, the decision was necessary to reduce the number of applicants progressing to the medical stage of the recruitment process.
Mr. Mubarak explained that although more than half a million Ghanaians applied to join the security services, the first phase of the recruitment would only absorb about 5,000 recruits.
He noted that after the initial body selection and documentation stages, only a small number of applicants were disqualified, leaving more than 400,000 candidates eligible to sit for the aptitude test.
The minister indicated that allowing all those candidates to proceed to the medical examination stage would be unfair, especially because applicants are required to pay for the medical tests.
“Are you going to allow over 400,000 people to do medicals when there are only 5,000 spaces?,” he asked.
Mr. Mubarak explained that the pass mark was therefore fixed at 65 to drastically reduce the number of candidates progressing to the next stage.
He disclosed that even with the pass mark set at 65, about 105,000 applicants had still qualified to undertake the medical examinations, which remains far above the number of available positions.
The minister stressed that government wanted to avoid a situation where thousands of young applicants would spend money on medical examinations despite having little chance of being recruited.
He explained that the medical tests include several checks such as drug screening and mental health assessments, which contribute to the cost of the process.
According to Mr. Mubarak, the President had directed that the data of candidates who successfully pass the medical examinations should be kept for future recruitment exercises.
He said this would allow government to consider them in the next phase of recruitment instead of making them go through the entire process again.
Mr. Mubarak noted that the current exercise forms part of the 2025 security services recruitment, adding that government hoped to conduct another recruitment exercise once the country’s financial situation improves.
He added that applicants who pass the medical stage but are not selected in the current phase may only be required to repeat the medical examinations if a long period passes before the next recruitment.
By: Jacob Aggrey
