We have the greatest public finance scandal of 4th Republic – Dafeamekpor on COVID-19 audit

Majority Chief Whip and South Dayi MP Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has called for immediate arrests if allegations that material findings were concealed in the Auditor-General’s COVID-19 expenditure audit are established.

His comments follow an investigation by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which has raised questions about the Auditor-General’s special audit of COVID-19 spending.

The investigation found that the report recorded GH¢96 million as expenditure on COVID-19 fumigation, while documents reviewed by Manasseh reportedly show that government ministries spent hundreds of millions of cedis more.

It specifically found that the Ministry of Local Government spent about GH¢299 million on three fumigation contracts, but that the expenditure was not reflected in the reported fumigation total.

The Ghana Audit Service has confirmed that the expenditure was audited but, according to the investigation, has not explained why it was excluded from the figure reported.

Speaking on daily News on Tuesday, Mr Dafeamekpor said the allegations, if proven, could represent an unprecedented public finance scandal.

“If what Manasseh Azure Awuni is further revealing is what is actually the case, then arguably we have the greatest public finance scandal of maybe the Fourth Republic,” he said.

The MP said the Auditor-General had a legal obligation to report the findings of a special audit to Parliament.

“You cannot conceal any facts from Parliament,” he said.

Mr Dafeamekpor argued that the evidence presented in the investigation appeared to indicate that the audit had been conducted, but that material findings and recommendations were omitted from the report submitted to Parliament.

“So where the evidence, the pieces of material evidence that he’s pieced together, points irresistibly to the fact that they actually conducted the audit of the Ministry of Local Government and Transport, but in reporting to Parliament, concealed material findings and perhaps recommendations for consideration by Parliament and perhaps leading to legislative reforms from Parliament, they’re in breach of Section 16,” he said.

He said he was considering issuing a formal statement on the matter, but maintained that immediate action would be required if the allegations were confirmed.

“So me, I’m really hesitating to issue the statement I’m minded to do,” he said.

Mr Dafeamekpor called for arrests if the claims were established.

“If this is really the issue tonight, then people should be, the arrests should be happening before daybreak tomorrow, because this cannot be countenanced under any circumstances in this country,” he said.

The controversy centres on a special audit of COVID-19 expenditure commissioned in 2022. Manasseh’s investigation alleges that the audit significantly understated fumigation expenditure across several ministries.

Former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo has separately called for an explanation of the discrepancy, saying it must be established whether information was withheld from auditors or whether the audit was not properly conducted.

The allegations have not, in the material provided, been established as findings of wrongdoing by a court or other adjudicating body.