ADVERTISEMENT

PURC blows GHc100,000 on X-mas hampers

According to Mr. Quartey, the relevance of auditing is for corrective actions to be taken by the PAC.

 

The Auditor-General has indicted the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) for failing to account for GH¢99, 663 used to purchase Christmas hampers in December 2012.

According to the A-G's report, the "accountable imprest to purchase Christmas hampers amounting to GH¢99, 663 was released for the purchase and distribution of Christmas hampers for the year ended December 2012" by the Commission.

The report said "We observed that the amount of GHc99, 663 for the purchase of the hampers was not retired or adjusted to the personal advance account of the imprest holder, instead the entire amount was expensed at the end of the year in violation of the provisions of FAR 288. This was due to the absence of a mechanism in place to ensure that such advances were retired promptly."

ADVERTISEMENT

The Auditor-General, Richard Quartey also bemoaned the non-implementation of its reports submitted to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament for action.

"It is quite frustrating and it appears as if amounts of money invested in the work that we have done are going down the drain", he said.

He explained that after the Auditor General's Department has submitted its audited reports to Parliament; PAC is expected to hold public hearings and later submit another report to the House for deliberations.

Mr Quartey said because of the inaction of PAC, his outfit has been encouraging the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to set up an internal Audit Recommendation Committee to implement the reports.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mr Quartey said its reports are not treated with the seriousness they deserve.

PAC not up to task

A 2013 research report has revealed that Ghana is not fully implementing the recommendations made by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), leading to drawbacks to ensure transparency and accountability in financial administration.

"Misappropriations and corruption issues in the PAC recommendations are often not fully implemented," the report said.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh

ADVERTISEMENT