President John Dramani Mahama is scheduled to hold a meeting on Thursday, October 9, with the Chief Justice, the Attorney General, and other key stakeholders to seek lasting solutions to the persistent mismanagement of public funds. The urgent meeting was prompted by the scale of financial irregularities consistently highlighted in annual Auditor-General reports.
The background to this high-level meeting includes the February 2025 submission of a report by Team ORAL to President Mahama, which he subsequently handed over to the Attorney General for official advice. Speaking at the 12th Annual Conference of Chairpersons of Governing Boards and Chief Executives of Public Services in Ho on Wednesday, October 8, President Mahama voiced his deep frustration, stating, “I’ve been watching the Public Accounts Committee, and it’s so pathetic. Every year we gather, and the same reckless misuse of public funds is reported.”
President Mahama stressed the critical need for a fast-track legal process to hold individuals accountable for financial misconduct, arguing that without genuine consequences, the cycle of misappropriation will continue unabated. He noted that the infractions revealed in the Auditor-General’s reports represent funds which, if properly utilized, could have significantly supported national development. The President also pointed out the ineffectiveness of existing structures, such as Audit Report Implementation Committees (ARICs), and the lack of implementation of constitutional provisions requiring Parliament to establish a committee to follow up on the Auditor-General’s findings.
The President was unequivocal about the necessity of deterrent action, adding, “Until people know they will be held responsible for misusing public resources, nothing will change.” The upcoming meeting is anticipated to propose concrete measures to strengthen accountability frameworks and establish a stronger deterrent against the misuse of public funds within the public sector.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
