PAC to demand answers on COVID GH¢624m fumigation gap from Audit Service – Davis Ansah Opoku

The Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Davis Ansah Opoku, has described as “frightening” evidence suggesting that the former Auditor-General’s COVID-19 audit may have understated fumigation expenditure by more than GH¢600 million. Mr Ansah Opoku said the significant difference between the figures contained in the Auditor-General’s report and the amount uncovered by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni’s investigation raises serious concerns that require answers from the Audit Service. You look at the figures that were reported and the figures that Manasseh is making claim that have been left out.

And I think it’s something that ought to come to the attention of the committee,” he said. His comments follow an investigation by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which found that government spent at least GH¢720 million on COVID-19 fumigation, although the Auditor-General’s special audit captured only GH¢96 million. The special audit, conducted in 2022, was commissioned following a request by then Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to examine COVID-19 expenditure by ministries, departments and agencies between 2020 and June 2022.

The investigation examined spending by the Ministries of Education, Transport and Local Government and found evidence indicating that fumigation expenditure was significantly higher than the GH¢96 million recorded in the special audit. Mr Ansah Opoku said the PAC will raise the matter with the Audit Service during its engagement with the institution from Monday to establish how and why the alleged omission occurred. Mr Ansah Opoku also questioned the quality of the special COVID-19 audit, saying previous discussions by the committee had suggested that the exercise may have been conducted hastily.

“When the committee met to look at the special audit report, it was quite revealing that it looks like the work was hurriedly done,” he said. He noted that the committee had already identified discrepancies in some claims contained in the report, particularly regarding amounts allegedly owed to agencies and institutions. According to him, the PAC has been working to reconcile those claims with evidence available to the committee.

But he described the alleged fumigation expenditure discrepancy as a major irregularity that the Audit Service must explain. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament will demand answers from the Audit Service over evidence suggesting that the Auditor-General’s COVID-19 audit may have understated fumigation expenditure by more than GH¢600 million. Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, September 15, the Vice Chairman of the Committee, Davis Ansah Opoku, described the alleged discrepancy as “frightening” and a “huge anomaly,” saying the issue will be raised when the PAC begins its engagement with the Audit Service on Monday.

“Luckily for us, from Monday we are engaging the Audit Service, and we are going to put this to them to find out why and how this omission happened,” he added. He also raised concerns about the quality of the special COVID-19 audit, saying the PAC had previously identified issues that suggested the exercise may have been conducted hastily. “Just to say that, you know, this was a special audit that was conducted.