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Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has urged Parliament to move beyond debates on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reports and attempt to recover resources that have been looted or misappropriated.
He noted that matters have consistently arisen from the Auditor General’s report bordering on appropriation, embezzlement and misapplication of public funds that are not pursued to their logical conclusions.
The Ghanaian public, he said, expects Parliament to recover these funds after the Public Accounts Committee has established the veracity of such infractions through its sittings.
The Minority leader made the call on Thursday when the House debated a motion to adopt the report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana Consolidated Fund 2018.
Parliament, he said, should gather courage and institute an action for recovery after the PAC has completed its job.
He drew attention of the House to Article 187(6) of the 1992 Constitution, which empowers the House to, in the public interest, constitute a Committee to deal with matters arising from the report of the Public Accounts Committee after it has been debated.
“Mr. Speaker, over the years what has happened to this committee? Have we formed it? Are we yet to form it because there are always matters arising from the Auditor General’s report,” he said.
“We are told year on 1.3 billion is lost or 1.2 billion is lost but what have we done as a Parliament to recover these monies,” he asked?
“It is not enough to just to come in and tell us that balance sheet is okay but we cannot account for payments to Ghana embassies abroad,” he added
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu noted it is past time the House implements Article 187(6) of the Constitution and constitute the required Committee that will work to ensure recovery.
And to also ensure persons who have committed infractions of the law, whether it is the Public Financial Management Act or the Constitution, will be held responsible for those breaches.
Frontpageghana.com/Ghana
