Former Auditor-General must explain GH¢624m fumigation expenditure gap – Domelovo

Former Auditor-General Daniel Domelovo has called for an explanation from Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, his predecessor, regarding a significant discrepancy in COVID-19 fumigation expenditure. His comments follow an investigation by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which revealed that Ghana may have spent at least GH¢720 million on the fumigation, while the Auditor-General's special audit recorded only GH¢96 million.

Domelovo suggested that the solution lies in involving the Auditor-General under whose tenure the audit was conducted. He believes the discrepancy could have arisen due to information being withheld from the auditors or weaknesses in the planning and execution of the audit. Domelovo noted that if public officials withheld relevant information, it would constitute a serious offence under the Audit Service Act, Section 33, which mandates the provision of information to auditors.

However, if the auditors did not receive the necessary information, that situation could be even more serious. Domelovo admitted he could not determine which scenario occurred as he was not involved in the audit, calling for the Auditor-General at the time to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the reported expenditure.