The Auditor General’s Department has revealed that the department recovered a sum of GH¢64m from individuals, institutions and companies who committed financial infractions against the state.
The Auditor General in its first ever special audit report on disallowance and surcharge between the period of 2013 and 2017 said the department has moved to surcharge and disallowed millions of cedis in a financial crime against the state.
In the report, their findings at the Registrar General’s Department for the period ended 31 December 2014, disclosed that Mr. Tahiru Haruna, the Principal Accountant, transferred US$163,510.00 from the Departmental Account into his private account, thereby defrauding the state of $163,510.00 contrary to Regulation 2 of the Financial Administration Regulations, 2004 (L.I. 1802).
Mr. Tahiru Haruna admitted the offence and entered into an agreement to refund the amount of $163,510.00 involved into the Registrar General Department’s account which was later refunded.
Also at the Ghana mission in Luanda, Angola the report noted that during the audit of the accounts of Ghana Mission in Luanda, Angola, for the period June 2012 to 31 December 2014 that Mr. King Pratt Ainooson, the Accounting Officer of the Mission, embezzled €64,655.00 and US$87,534.00, equivalent to GH¢531,616.75 contrary to Regulation 2 of Financial Administration Regulation, 2004, L.I. 1802.
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Mr. King Pratt Ainooson also admitted the offence and signed an undertaking on 9 December 2014 to refund the embezzled amount in monthly instalments of €3,500.00.
The report further revealed that a total sum of GH¢67m has been recovered from public officers, individual and institutions who committed financial infractions in the course of performing their duties.
The Auditor General urged the public to provide relevant information to the service which will help them in their work, the service, for this reason, has established the Public Compliance Directorate to help facilitate the process.
Article 187(7) (b) of the 1992 Constitution and the other related laws on Public Financial Management currently in existence mandates the Auditor – General to audit the public accounts of Ghana.
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