By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
The Member of Parliament for the Garu Constituency, Thomas Anabah, has stated that some corrupt officials have “godfathers” and links to political figures in the country, which he says explains why many are able to evade accountability.
He said he supports calls by Ghanaians for accountability and strict punishment for officials involved in the GH¢18.4 billion financial irregularities uncovered in the Auditor-General’s report.
According to him, the scale of the amount involved demands strong deterrent measures, including possible jail terms for those found guilty of corruption.
“Some of these officials have godfathers and are also linked to powerful political figures. With the amount of money involved in the Auditor-General’s report, it tells us that we need serious punishment for those involved,” he said.
Speaking during a panel discussion on Current Agenda on March 14, Mr Anabah emphasised that no one was witch-hunting anyone and that due process was being followed. He also expressed hope that the recovery of the funds would happen soon.
According to the report presented to Parliament by the Deputy Finance Minister, the irregularities include outstanding debts and loans (GH¢12.5 billion), cash mismanagement (GH¢4.5 billion), and procurement breaches.
