The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has referred twelve public institutions, including the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and Ridge Hospital, to the Attorney General for prosecution over their failure to recover funds lost through financial irregularities cited in the Auditor-General’s report.
The referral follows the institutions’ disregard for a 30-day ultimatum to retrieve misappropriated or unaccounted funds, despite clear directives from the committee. JoyNews correspondent James Avedzi reported that the PAC took a firm stance during its sitting on Monday, November 3.
Ranking Member of the PAC and MP for Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem, Samuel Atta-Mills, stated: “All these people, we are recommending them for prosecution, and it’s just that simple. We’ll wait on those who have 60 and 90 days, but maybe they would like to enjoy sitting in court.”
Assistant Auditor-General Michael Addo informed the committee that several institutions had failed to comply with the PAC’s recovery orders, which were meant to address issues such as unretired imprest, unearned salaries, and questionable payments. This violation of the committee’s directive, issued under the Public Financial Management Act, warranted the referral to the Attorney General’s Department for criminal prosecution.
The twelve entities span various ministries, departments, and agencies, and the total amount involved is believed to be in the tens of millions of Ghana cedis—representing significant financial losses to the state.
By invoking Article 187(5) of the 1992 Constitution, the PAC aims to ensure accountability in public financial management. The decision marks a major step toward enforcing compliance, recovering state funds, and deterring future financial infractions within the public sector.
The Attorney General’s Department is now expected to review the evidence provided by the PAC and the Audit Service before initiating formal charges against the implicated officials.