Bagbin urges PAC to detain officials who fail to account for public funds
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has asked the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to use its legal powers, including detention, to ensure public officials are held accountable for their stewardship of public funds. He said the committee must demonstrate courage and firmness in dealing with officials who engage in misconduct, warning that its oversight responsibilities should […]
Alban Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, has urged the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to utilize its legal authority, including detainment, to ensure officials are answerable for their handling of public funds. He emphasized that the committee must demonstrate strength and resolve in addressing misconduct, cautioning against treating its oversight duties as mundane.
Speaking at the African Organisation of Public Accounts Committees Conference, Bagbin, who previously served as a PAC member, shared his firsthand experience of ordering detentions during hearings to uphold decorum. He reiterated the committee's vital role in safeguarding public resources and ensuring they serve the citizens' interests.
"You must have that courage to tell those in power when they err, and you must have the fortitude to go further. During hearings, if there's any wrongdoing, the law permits you to detain individuals to send a strong message that this is a serious matter," he explained. Bagbin stressed that the committee's role is integral to good governance and should be treated with utmost seriousness, not as a routine task.
"This is not a trivial business. It's about governance, and you have been entrusted with this mandate because you represent the citizens, who entrust you with the power to compel everyone to make their resources available for public use," he concluded.
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