Former Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo has called for the audit of public funds expended in the response to Covid-19.
He said it is important to subject the funds to scrutiny to engender public confidence in how governments around the world have handled the pandemic.
At a public forum at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), the former Auditor-General said an audit will further bring to bear some of the difficulties that were encountered in the fight against Covid-19.
“I will recommend that we do what we refer to as value for money or performance audit to arrive at or to determine how our resources were used, if they were used for intended purposes, what are some of the challenges and what are the recommendations or business continuity plan so that in case another disaster or pandemic happens we will know how to address it and be more transparent and accountable so that we do not panic and just do anything”, he said.
Mr. Domelevo said while there was a mobilization of resource around the world to quickly address the problems brought about by the pandemic some people also took advantage of the situation for their personal gains.
“There has been quick mobilization of public resources to address the challenges posed by the Covid-19 and in the process people have also found way of funding their personal economic recovery programs at the expense of the public”, he said.
Mr. Domelevo also stressed the need for laws to be relooked to make provisions for the mobilization of resources in times of emergency and how such funds should be accounted for.
“It is good we have a second look at our laws on procurement, our laws on Financial Management to see in cases of such developments, how quickly can funds be made available, what type of procurement can be done and what are the accountability mechanisms that must be in place.”
Source:3News.com
