Former Auditor General Yao Domelevo has urged the current Auditor General to make use of Article 187 clause 7B of the 1992 constitution as he carries out the duty assigned to him.
According to the well-respected Personality, Article 178 Clause 7B of the 1992 constitution is what mandates the office of the Auditor General to carry out auditing activities in the country to help fight corruption.
“The Auditor General should make use of the Constitution that empowers him to work, this article 187 Clause 7B. The same article gives him the power to surcharge victims of corrupt practices that are discovered during auditing services.”
His comments came at the back of the release of the covid 19 expenditure audit report.
He added that until there is a surcharge, the mere release of audit reports cannot fight corruption.
“I believe that the Auditor General is also trying to protect his job and to avoid being chased out of office so he is being careful,” he added.
In response to whether or not the Auditor General should be given arrested and prosecutorial powers, Yao Domelevo indicated that it is not necessary.
“It is not about giving the office of the Auditor General such powers that will solve the problem, the office already has powers to a surcharge and that is enough, several entities have been given powers to arrest and to prosecute, so what is needed is to make those institutions functional by resourcing them. The EOCO, the Special Prosecutor, and the Ghana Police should all be well-sourced to operate without influence, the Auditor General should also go beyond just auditing to surcharge victims”. He added.