The government has announced plans to establish special courts dedicated to handling cases that arise from audit infractions detailed in the Auditor-General’s Report.
These courts will specifically focus on enforcing surcharges and disallowances, as well as prosecuting individuals involved in related criminal offences.
The decision was reached following a high-level meeting between President John Dramani Mahama, the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General, and the Auditor-General to explore ways of strengthening the enforcement of the Auditor-General’s findings.
The meeting fulfills a commitment President Mahama made earlier at a conference in Ho, where he voiced frustration over the recurring mismanagement of public funds highlighted in the annual reports.
“When you leave office, you should be able to hold your head high, wake up in the morning, and not fear being called to account for wrongdoing because you did things the right way,” the President said.
Describing the recurring revelations before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as “pathetic,” he cited “recklessness with public funds and resources” as a major concern.
“Until there’s a deterrent, we’ll keep seeing these infractions every year. Those found guilty of causing financial loss or breaching procedures must face swift consequences. We need a fast-track process—before you know it, you’re in Nsawam. If we save even 15 billion cedis, imagine what that could do for the country,” he added.
President Mahama also expressed concern over the poor performance of Audit Report Implementation Committees (ARICs), which are mandated to ensure the implementation of recommendations from the Auditor-General’s reports.
He noted that despite frequent PAC hearings, there is little follow-up action, allowing financial irregularities to persist.
“Virtually nobody follows up on the recommendations that come out of the PAC. The Audit Report Implementation Committees are not working effectively. We must create a system that holds people accountable and deters wrongdoing,” the President emphasized.
He expressed optimism that the introduction of these new measures, particularly the establishment of special courts, will strengthen accountability and enhance public financial management across the country.
