Chairperson of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Abena Osei Asare, has disclosed that the Committee’s work has led to the recovery of approximately GH¢12.7 billion in public funds, reinforcing its role as a critical accountability mechanism in Ghana’s democratic governance.
Ms. Osei Asare emphasised that PAC operates with powers equivalent to a High Court, making its directives and orders binding on all entities that appear before it.
“We know that this committee has the powers of a high court. That means our directives and orders are binding,” she stated.
Speaking to the media after Tuesday’s sitting of the Committee to consider some reports of the Auditor General, she explained that PAC’s mandate goes beyond merely exposing infractions captured in the Auditor-General’s reports, stressing that the Committee actively pursues accountability and recovers misapplied public funds.
“Working together with the Audit Service and the Auditor-General, we have been able to retrieve close to GH¢12.7 billion. This is not just about citing infractions; it is about ensuring accountability,” she said.
According to her, Parliament will soon be formally briefed on the recoveries when the House resumes, and plans are underway to set aside a special day for the PAC and Auditor-General to engage the public and showcase the impact of their work.
Ms. Osei Asare underscored that Ghanaians have a right to know how their taxes and public resources are utilised, whether or not infractions are recorded.
“Even if there is no infraction, the people of Ghana deserve to know what we use their hard-earned taxes for,” she noted.
She said PAC hearings serve as a vital platform for communicating government expenditure, budget implementation, and the financial performance of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) directly to the public.
The PAC Chairperson expressed confidence that consistent public hearings, recoveries, and the application of sanctions would significantly reduce recurring infractions in public financial management.
“When people are called to account and the requisite sanctions are applied, it serves as a deterrent. With time, infractions will drastically reduce,” she said.
Ms. Osei Asare disclosed that the Committee is close to concluding work on 2020 Auditor-General reports, with only two outstanding reports remaining, including one involving the Ministry of Agriculture, which required the presence of the sector minister alongside technical officials.
She assured that once the remaining reports are completed, including some sittings to be held outside Accra, PAC would have fully cleared all outstanding reports for the period under review.
The PAC Chairperson commended the media for amplifying the Committee’s work and ensuring that its proceedings reach citizens across the country.
“Whatever we do in there has repercussions because the media takes it to Ghanaians. You play a critical role in protecting the public purse,” she said.
