By Opesika Tetteh Puplampu
Theme, July 18, GNA - The State of Corruption Report 2024 by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) shows that Ghana suffered losses exceeding GH¢9 billion due to financial misconduct in government institutions in 2023.
The disclosure has caused concern among civil society groups and those who promote accountability, who characterized the loss as a severe setback for the country's progress.
The GACC report, provided to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), references information from the Auditor-General’s 2023 audit findings, categorizing the violations into areas like procurement breaches, financial mismanagement, payroll deception, tax non-compliance, and issues related to contracts.
It highlighted that public boards and statutory corporations alone contributed to losses amounting to GH¢8.8 billion, while Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) added another GH¢265 million.
GH¢9 billion lost due to irregularities in one year is unacceptable," the report said, highlighting that "these are funds that could have improved education, healthcare, roads, and essential services for millions of Ghanaians.
Especially concerning, it highlighted, was the increase in contract and purchasing violations, which were recognized as the fastest-growing types of financial misconduct, mentioning that from 2022 to 2023, violations related to procurement increased sharply, playing a major role in the overall loss amount.
GACC claimed that this indicated inadequate internal controls, insufficient supervision, and potential cooperation between government officials and contractors.
The report highlighted the systemic aspect of the issue, suggesting that the magnitude of the losses demonstrated that corruption was not confined to individual cases or dishonest officials, but revealed deeper flaws in institutional procedures and public financial management systems.
"At the district level, the situation is equally alarming. District Assemblies documented more than GH¢22 million in irregularities in 2023 – an increase from the previous year. Many of these cases involved unauthorized cash payments and improper use of funds. This indicates that even at the local government level, where resources are limited, substantial amounts are being lost because of weak accountability," the report stated.
GACC therefore advocated for a more cohesive and strategic approach to auditing and accountability, suggesting the establishment of a centralized corruption database capable of monitoring irregularities in real-time, aligning data from supervisory bodies, and ensuring that suitable penalties were enforced quickly.
The coalition once again emphasized its demand for changes to the Internal Audit Agency Act, aiming to grant the agency greater independence and enforcement authority, contending that this would enhance internal audit departments and facilitate the early identification and prevention of financial misconduct before it worsened.
"Although the Ghana Audit Service managed to recover approximately GH¢41 million throughout the year, this amount accounts for less than 0.5% of the total loss. This indicates that recovery initiatives are still inadequate and underscores the critical importance of implementing preventive changes instead of relying on reactive measures," it mentioned.
The 2024 corruption report from the GACC presented a bleak outlook on Ghana's public financial condition, urging both Parliament and the Executive to view the Auditor-General's findings not merely as routine reports, but as urgent appeals for action, emphasizing that "Every cedi lost to corruption is a cedi stolen from the future of this nation."
GNA
Edited by Laudia Sawer/Lydia Kukua Asamoah
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