Parliament on Thursday approved GH¢838,369,865 for the implementation of programmes and activities of the Ghana Audit Service, for the 2025 financial year.
This is expected to enable the service to carry out its mandate of auditing public institutions, ensuring accountability, and strengthening financial oversight across various government agencies.
A key component of the allocation will support the service in auditing Ghana’s missions abroad, an area identified as a major challenge due to funding constraints.
Additionally, the service plans to conduct audits of five Ghana Armed Forces peacekeeping operations abroad, which have not been assessed since 2019.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Atiwa East, Abena Osei-Asare, speaking on the floor of Parliament, during a debate on the issue, underscored the need for other ministries, departments, and agencies to adopt the Audit Service’s accountability mechanisms.
She highlighted the service’s challenges, including inadequate office accommodation, noting that while it is required to operate in 261 districts nationwide, it is only present in 98 areas, with some of these offices housed in rented spaces or properties provided by district and municipal assemblies.
Ms Osei-Asare said it was important to increase capital expenditure to enable the service to acquire permanent offices.
“If we would look at increasing their capital expenditure and they invest it into getting offices, it will really make them independent and fit for purpose,” she said.
The Minority Chief Whip, and MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, raised concerns over a GH¢13 million budget reduction for the service, urging Parliament to reconsider the cut.
He also pointed to the lack of follow-through on findings from the Auditor-General’s report, and called for the enforcement of Article 187, Clause 6 of the Constitution, which mandates Parliament to debate the report and take necessary actions.
“More often than not, this has come lacking, and going forward, this is a matter we will have to take seriously,” Mr Annoh-Dompreh stated.
He said with the approved allocation, the Ghana Audit Service was expected to enhance its auditing capacity, particularly in foreign missions and security operations, while addressing critical infrastructure challenges.
Mr Annoh-Dompreh urged the Ministry of Finance to ensure timely disbursement of funds, to facilitate the service’s operations and improve accountability in public financial management.
The Ghana Audit Service’s role as a public service, is to audit and report on the public accounts of Ghana and all public offices, including the courts, the central and local government administration of the universities and public institutions of like nature, of any public corporation or other body or organisation established by an Act of Parliament.
BY RAISSA SAMBOU
