The Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has been warned by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to stop interfering in the Auditor-job. General’s
The NDC claimed that a letter from Mr. Dame to the Auditor-General criticizing the publishing of the Auditor-report General’s on the COVID-19 expenditure constituted an attack on the Auditor-independence General’s in a statement dated February 10, 2023.
“We need not remind the Attorney-General that the independence of the Auditor-General is guaranteed by Article 187(7)(a) of the 1992 Constitution.
It clearly states that the Auditor-General is not subject to the direction or control of any person or authority when carrying out his duties, the statement continued.
Sammy Gyamfi, the NDC’s national communications officer, signed the statement on its behalf.
The publishing of the Auditor-report General’s on the COVID-19 expenditure before Parliament has finished debating it was deemed unlawful by Mr. Dame.
Mr. Dame criticized the Audit Service’s website for publishing the findings in a letter to Johnson Akuamoah-Asiedu, the Auditor-General, calling it “premature and unconstitutional.”
According to the Attorney General, the Auditor-General was required to submit his report to Parliament in accordance with Article 187(5) of the 1992 Constitution and to highlight any inconsistencies in the accounts audited in that report.
According to Article 187(6) of the Constitution, Parliament must thereafter discuss the Auditor-report General’s and, if required and in the public interest, create a committee to handle any issues that arise from it.
The Attorney General maintained that the Auditor-report General’s wouldn’t be deemed final and that no action would be taken on it until the constitutional obligation of submitting it to Parliament, having Parliament discuss it, and having the proper committee of Parliament do its work.
As a result, he continued, “I urge a withdrawal of the report on the Government COVID-19 transactions from your website prior to same having been discussed by Parliament and the relevant committee of Parliament.”
However, the NDC pointed out that the Audit Service Act, 2000 (Act 584) gave the Auditor-General the authority and responsibility to conduct special audits, which he legally did by looking into the COVID-19 expenditure of the government.
According to the NDC, the letter constituted an interference and invasion of the Auditor-authority General’s “by someone who ought to know better.”
“It is worthy of note that Section 23 of the Audit Service Act, 2000 (Act 584) mandates the Auditor-General to publish reports of audits as soon as the reports have been presented to the Speaker of Parliament,” It added.
Source: Graphic Online