We’ll address issues raised in COVID-19 Auditor General’s report – Finance Ministry

 The Ministry of Finance has assured that it will address all issues raised in the report on the audit of the government’s COVID-19 expen­diture by the Auditor-General.

The report revealed some infractions in government’s expenditure for COVID-19 from March 2020 to June 2022.

Responding to the report, the Ministry of Finance stated in a statement issued in Accra on Wednesday that the findings provided the government an opportunity to implement the recommendations made by the Auditor-General.

“The Ministry welcomes the Auditor General’s report and wishes to assure the public that steps are being taken to address all issues,” the statement issued by the Public Relations Unit said.

It added that some interven­tions were currently being pursued through meetings to engage with the implementing agencies to evaluate actions taken to implement the audit recommendations in the report.

“Preparation of an Emergency Expenditure Management Guide­line is being considered. This guide­line will provide government with administrative protocols in times of emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure compliance with relevant PFM regulations while providing timely responses”.

The statement reassured that government would continue to apply its best efforts to enforce and enhance expenditure management and accountability to ensure proper utilisation of tax revenue to the full benefit of citizens using established budgetary and accountability sys­tems in government.

Providing some background and clarifications, the Finance Ministry said the audit report con­firmed total resources mobilised for the COVID-19 response over the period of March 2020 to June 2022 at GH¢21,844,189,185.24.

“As indicated on page 7, paragraph 18 of the report, the funds mobilised were to address the following two key interven­tions: – finance direct COVID-19 intervention expenditures; and support the funding gap in the budget which was occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on revenue mobilisation.

“As reported on page 11, paragraph 31 of the report, the 53.8 per cent and 46.2 per cent spent on direct Covid-19 inter­ventions and for general budget support respectively were consis­tent with the mandate approved by Parliament.”