Withdraw your unconstitutional letter to the Auditor General — NDC to Godfred Dame

The Attorney-General in the said letter among other concerns, took umbrage to the publication of the audit report which he described as "premature" because, in his view, the same has not been debated by Parliament and considered by the appropriate committee of Parliament.

Godfred Dame said Article 187(5) of the Constitution mandates the Auditor-General to submit his report to Parliament and draw attention to any irregularities in the accounts audited adding that Section 16 of the Audit Service Act, 2000 (Act 584) clearly indicates that reports on special audits and reviews, as the one conducted in respect of the COVID-19 transactions, are subject to the requirement for the Auditor-General to submit the reports to Parliament.

The NDC in a statement issued by the Communications Officer condemned in no uncertain terms the ungodly interference and intrusion into the mandate of the Auditor-General.

He reminded the Attorney-General that Article 187(7)(a) of the 1992 Constitution guarantees the independence of the Auditor-General. 

The Audit Service Act, 2000 (Act 584) confers power and responsibility on the Auditor-General to carry out special audits, as has been conducted into the COVID-19 expenditures of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government. For the purpose of clarity, section 16 of Act 584 provides that:

"The Auditor-General may in addition to the audit of public accounts, carry out in the public interest any necessary special audits or reviews and shall submit reports on the audits or review so undertaken to Parliament."

It is worthy of note that, Section 23 of the Audit Service Act, 2000 (ACT 584) mandates the Auditor-General to publish reports of audits as soon as the reports have been presented to the Speaker of Parliament.

He demanded Godfred Yeboah Dame to withdraw his unconstitutional and distasteful letter forthwith and cease any further intrusion into the mandate of the Auditor-General. 

Sammy Gyamfi entreated the Auditor-General to treat the unconstitutional letter to him with the utmost contempt.