In the midst of the controversies surrounding the legality of the publication of the  findings of the Auditor-General report on the audit of COVID-19 expenditure, National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi has admonished the Attorney-General to put his energy into good use.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah-Dame has questioned the constitutionality on the part of the Auditor-General on the publication of his audit report. According to a letter addressed to the Auditor-General, Godfred Dame argued that the mandate of the Auditor-General is to submit his audit reports to the Speaker of Parliament but not to publish them.

However, the stance of the Attorney-General has been vehemently contested by the Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana). The Director for Advocacy and Policy Engagement, Dr. Kojo Pumpuni Asante explains that the stance of the Attorney-General is a threat to the independence of the institution of the Auditor-General.

The reaction from CDD-Ghana wasn’t taken lightly by the Attorney-General who has questioned CDD-Ghana’s appreciation of the law.

Commenting on the matter on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV, the National Communications Officer of the NDC reiterated the independence of the Auditor-General adding that the report of the institution is final and therefore cannot be altered by parliament in any form.

He indicated that parliament can only debate the report where necessary but cannot direct the Auditor-General on whether to publish the report or otherwise as propagated by the Attorney-General.

“The Auditor-General is constitutionally independent. He is the auditor of all public accounts of government. Therefore when he finishes his work, his work is final. Parliament does not confer finality on his report. Parliament cannot change any finding. Parliament can only debate it and where they deem it necessary, through a committee, implement or follow up on those recommendations which parliament has woefully failed to do since 1992,” Sammy Gyamfi noted.

He therefore advised the Attorney-General to, instead of opposing the publication of audit reports, rather channel his energy to advise the Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu to retrieve the $82 million state funds paid for the purchase of vaccines but were never supplied as uncovered by the report on the audit of COVID-19 expenditure by government.

He stressed that, “Godfred Dame should rather advise Kwaku Agyeman Manu to go and retrieve the 82 million dollars he has paid to a company for the supply of vaccines which have not been supplied to us.”