The Finance Ministry has vowed to end the “systemic plunder of the public purse” following a scorching Auditor-General’s report on arrears and payables as of end-2024.
Presenting a statement on behalf of Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, on Tuesday, March 10, the Deputy Minister, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, described a “rotten system” that has seen GH¢8.1 billion in public funds misused.
The abuses include:
- Fictitious claims for services and goods never rendered
- Recycled invoices for double payments
- Forged receipts for non-existent supplies
- Collusion between officials and contractors
Ampem announced a “Triple-Lock” policy to ensure accountability:
“GOING FORWARD, NO PAYMENT WILL BE MADE WITHOUT FULL VERIFICATION, NO COMMITMENT WILL BE ENTERED INTO WITHOUT BUDGETARY ALLOCATION, AND NO OFFICER, REGARDLESS OF RANK, WILL BE SHIELDED FROM ACCOUNTABILITY.”
The Ministry has referred the Auditor-General’s findings to the Attorney-General for prosecution, seeking to bring charges against those responsible. “The Mahama administration refuses to accept this rotten system; in fact, we refuse to normalise waste. And we refuse to ask the Ghanaian people to pay for fraud,” Ampem said.
The government has pledged swift action against those involved, warning that rank will no longer provide immunity. “This moment marks a decisive break from the past and a total reset of how Ghana manages its wealth,” the statement concluded.
