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President Mahama to meet Auditor-General, Chief Justice and Attorney-General over misuse of public funds
President John Dramani Mahama is set to meet the Auditor-General, Chief Justice, and Attorney-General on Thursday to decide on strict measures against public officials responsible for financial losses reported in the Auditor-General’s report.
The President expressed worry over the growing cases of financial irregularities and reckless use of public funds by state institutions. He said this during the 12th Annual Conference of Governing Boards, Chief Directors, and Chief Executives in Ho.
President Mahama described the situation as unacceptable and promised that those found guilty of misusing public funds will face swift punishment.
“Recently I’ve been watching the Public Accounts Committee and it’s so pathetic. Every year, we hear all kinds of reckless acts involving public funds and resources,” he lamented.
He noted that the government is seeking a fast-track process to punish offenders to serve as a deterrent to others.
“We must have a fast-track process so that people who cause financial loss to the state will quickly face justice. Until there’s a deterrent, we’ll continue to see the same problems every year,” the President said.
President Mahama revealed that the government has not fully implemented a constitutional provision requiring Parliament to set up a committee to follow up on the Auditor-General’s findings.
He stressed that such a committee would help ensure that recommendations are enforced.
He further criticized the poor performance of Audit Report Implementation Committees (ARICs) in government institutions, saying they fail to act on recommendations from the Public Accounts Committee.
The President added that Thursday’s meeting would explore ways to make officials accountable for their actions and prevent the continuous misuse of public funds.
“After Thursday, I’m sure we’ll come up with a way to ensure that persons who misuse state resources are held to account so that others do not follow suit,” he noted.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Minority in Parliament has strongly objected to any planned merger or partnership between the government and Telecel, describing the deal as “technically, operationally, and financially unconscionable.”
Ranking Member on the Communications Committee, Matthew Nyindam, raised the concern during a media briefing in Parliament.
He questioned why both the Minister of Communications and Telecel would publicly announce a merger and then suddenly go silent on the matter.
“We object to any deal with Telecel by way of merger, absorption, or acquisition. This is a scheme to dispose of a national asset to fill private pockets,” Mr. Nyindam stated.
He argued that Telecel has not demonstrated any special technical or operational expertise that staff and management of AT (formerly AirtelTigo) do not already possess.
According to him, Telecel had earlier promised to invest $500 million after acquiring Vodafone Ghana but failed to do so, a situation he fears could repeat itself if the government allows another deal.
Mr. Nyindam claimed that Telecel was already indebted to the tune of $400 million, adding that the company only seeks to benefit from AT’s over three million customers to expand its own base without making any real investment.
“The government must not surrender the capacity of a state-owned company to a private entity through majority ownership. There is no clear plan to protect the jobs and livelihoods of thousands of workers,” he stressed.
The Minority Caucus is therefore calling on the government to halt any discussions or agreements with Telecel regarding the proposed merger, insisting that the deal is not in the national interest.
Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bryan Acheampong, has called for an emergency 90-day suspension of all forms of mining in Ghana to help restore polluted rivers and water bodies.
He made the call during his campaign tour, where he engaged party members and residents on issues of national concern, including security, the environment, and responsible mining.
Mr Acheampong explained that the temporary ban should take place during the rainy season to allow the environment to recover naturally while the nation rethinks its mining practices.
“Let’s clear our water bodies and engage on how we can go back to mining. I’m not talking about a state of emergency, but mining, regardless of where, should stop now for the next 90 days,” he said.
He warned that illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, continues to poison food sources and destroy farmlands, posing a major threat to public health and food security.
“If our food systems are being poisoned and we just look on because we prefer to make money, our people will not be around in a very short time to address the situation,” he cautioned.
Mr Acheampong urged government, miners, and local leaders to use the proposed 90-day period to develop a sustainable framework for responsible mining that protects both livelihoods and the environment.
By: Jacob Aggrey
