By Ashiadey Dotse
Former Auditor-General, Daniel Yao Domelevo, says Ghana cannot effectively fight corruption unless Parliament passes the Conduct of Public Office Holders law.
Mr. Domelevo made the statement in an interview on GTV’s Current Agenda following the release of the 2024 Auditor-General’s report on financial mismanagement.
According to him, the country’s current legal framework is weak and tends to favour people who misappropriate public funds. He noted that the bill on the Conduct of Public Office Holders has been discussed for years but is yet to be passed into law.
Mr. Domelevo explained that passing the law, together with measures such as lifestyle audits and unexplained wealth provisions, will help strengthen the fight against corruption.
He expressed concern that many audit findings often end without strong action, even when serious financial irregularities are uncovered.
“It is very disturbing when you uncover misappropriations or fraudulent transactions of such magnitude and all that happens is a talk shop,” he said.
The former Auditor-General recalled that in 2017 the Supreme Court of Ghana ordered the Auditor-General to disallow and surcharge public officials responsible for unauthorized spending and financial losses to the state.
He added that the court also directed the Attorney-General’s Department of Ghana to take further action, including prosecution of those involved.
However, he noted that little progress has been made in enforcing these directives.
Mr. Domelevo also stressed that corruption in public institutions often happens through collusion between political leaders and public servants within the system.
He explained that internal financial control systems require several officials to approve payments, making it difficult for such fraud to occur without the involvement of multiple actors.
On the prosecution of corruption-related cases, Mr. Domelevo suggested that Ghana should consider setting time limits for trials to ensure cases are concluded within a reasonable period.
He said lengthy court processes sometimes allow accused persons to delay proceedings in the hope of political changes that may eventually weaken the case.
Mr. Domelevo emphasised that while ongoing prosecutions are important, strengthening the legal framework remains the most critical step in ensuring effective accountability in the management of public funds.
The audit revealed that GH¢45.4 billion out of GH¢68.7 billion in submitted claims were validated for payment.
However, GH¢8.1 billion was rejected due to identified irregularities, while GH¢13.3 billion remains under review because of missing documentation, incomplete contracts, or absent third-party confirmations.
