FULL TEXT: OccupyGhana threatens the Auditor-General with RTI over recoveries.
OccupyGhana, a civil society group, has threatened to use the Right to Information (RTI) Act to compel the Auditor-General to release information on the recoveries made by his office.
In a statement released on March 7, 2023, OccupyGhana expressed concerns about the lack of transparency in the management of recovered funds by the Auditor-General’s office. The group demanded that the Auditor-General provide a detailed report on all recoveries made by his office from 2017 to 2020.
The statement read in part, “On September 30, 2022, we wrote to you (our ref: 0G/2022/037), demanding evidence backing the claim that you had issued disallowances and made recoveries in the amount stated in the heading to this letter.”
“We write to repeat our request and to notify you that we will escalate this request to the Right to Information Commission if we do not receive a copy of the promised report from you within seven days of the date of this letter,” the statement added.
The RTI Act was passed in Ghana in 2019 and provides the right to access information held by public institutions. Subject to some exceptions, the law allows citizens to request and obtain information from public institutions.
OccupyGhana has been at the forefront of advocacy for transparency and accountability in Ghana. The group was instrumental in the passage of the RTI Act and has used it to demand accountability from public institutions.
The Auditor-General’s office has not yet responded to OccupyGhana’s demand for information on recoveries made by his office.
OccupyGhana’s statement
RE: AUDITOR-GENERAL RETRIEVES GH¢2.2BN – REPRESENTS DISALLOWANCES FROM
2017 TO 2020
On 30 September 2022, we wrote to you (our ref: 0G/2022/037), demanding evidence backing the claim that you had issued disallowances and made recoveries in the amount stated in the heading to this letter.
You responded by a letter signed by one Ali Mohammed Zakaria (DAG/FAHRD) and dated 7 October,our ref: DAG/F&A/FIN/22.10/001), claiming that you had drafted a report on the recoveries, you were finalising it for Parliament, and ‘immediately the report is finalised a copy will be made available’ to us.
On 11 January 2023, we wrote to you (our ref: OG/2023/001) to inquire whether you had finalised your report, and requesting that a copy of the report be made available to us. You have not responded to that letter.
We write to repeat our request and to notify you that we will escalate this request to the Right to Information Commission, if we do not receive a copy of the promised report from you within seven days of the date of this letter.
Yours in the service of God and Country
OccupyGhana
