Withheld information, poor audit could account for GH¢624m fumigation gap – Domelovo

Former Auditor-General Daniel Domelovo suggests that either information was withheld from auditors or the audit was improperly conducted to explain the significant discrepancy between the reported COVID-19 fumigation expenditure and the GH¢96 million recorded in his special audit. The investigation by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni revealed that the government spent at least GH¢720 million on fumigation during the pandemic, while the Auditor-General's audit only accounted for GH¢96 million.

Domelovo explained that the discrepancy could have arisen due to the denial of information to the auditors or the inadequacy of the audit's planning and execution. If officials deliberately withheld information, it could be considered a serious offence under Section 33 of the Audit Service Act. However, if there is no such concealment, the situation becomes even more concerning.

Domelovo noted that he could not determine the cause of the discrepancy, as he was not part of the audit, and proposed that the Auditor-General, whose tenure the special audit was conducted, should provide insights into the circumstances surrounding the findings. Domelovo praised Awuni and his team for their commendable work.