The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has referred the Ministry of Finance to the Attorney General for prosecution over procurement breaches totalling GH₵1.3 million, as revealed in the 2024 Auditor General’s Report.
According to the report, the Ministry awarded three separate hotel service contracts, each exceeding the legally approved threshold without complying with the Public Procurement Act.
These included a GH₵145,075.31 contract for a workshop on the 2024 budget implementation instructions, a GH₵956,170.23 contract for the Budget Division’s annual staff retreat, and a GH₵293,796.81 contract for another workshop on budget implementation for covered entities.
The Auditor General flagged these transactions as violations of Section 18 of the Public Procurement Act, which regulates contract thresholds and requires prior approval for amounts beyond certain limits.
In its response, the Finance Ministry attributed the breach to “practical challenges” in meeting procurement thresholds for hotel services and stated that it plans to train all divisional heads on proper procurement procedures moving forward.
Despite the explanation, PAC Ranking Member Samuel Atta-Mills ruled that the Ministry should be referred to the Attorney General for punitive action, emphasising the need for accountability and measures to prevent future infractions.