The Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government and Decentralisation, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has cautioned metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) against allowing the same audit irregularities to recur year after year without meaningful corrective action.
He said the effectiveness of Ghana’s public audit system should ultimately be measured by whether audit recommendations were implemented, identified weaknesses addressed and systems strengthened.
“Audit findings should not become an annual ritual where the same weaknesses are identified year after year without adequate corrective action,” he said.
Public hearing
Mr Asenso-Boakye made the remarks at the opening of the Local Government, Decentralisation and Religious Affairs Committee’s public hearings on the annual statements of audit committees of MMDAs on Monday (Oct 5).
The committee, chaired by Queenster Pokuah Sawyerr, is probing financial infractions contained in the 2025 Auditor-General’s Report involving the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council and various MMDAs in the Greater Accra Region.
The two-day hearing, will probe infractions mostly arose from the implementation of various development projects by the MMDAs during the year under review.
Focus on corrective action
Mr Asenso-Boakye said Parliament must pay particular attention not only to the irregularities identified in audit reports but also to the reasons the weaknesses persisted and whether recommendations from previous audits had been effectively implemented.
He said the committee’s responsibility went beyond identifying infractions, stressing the need to determine the underlying causes of recurring weaknesses and ensure that practical corrective measures were put in place to prevent them from recurring.
“The true value of an audit process lies in whether its recommendations lead to improved systems, stronger internal controls, better financial management and, ultimately, better outcomes for our people,” he stated.
Accountability
Mr Asenso-Boakye, a former Minister of Roads and Highways, said where breaches involved the misuse of public funds or disregard for established procedures, appropriate accountability must follow.
He said audit findings should therefore not be treated merely as issues to be recorded in annual reports, but as opportunities to correct weaknesses and improve the management of public resources.
Institutional reforms
While calling for stringent corrective measures, the Bantama MP said Parliament should also push for reforms where challenges stemmed from institutional, capacity or systemic weaknesses.
He called for frank and constructive engagement between the committee and officials of the assemblies throughout the hearings to help identify the factors contributing to recurring irregularities and find sustainable solutions.
He said the ultimate objective should be to strengthen local governance systems and ensure that public resources were managed responsibly and used for their intended purposes.
“The ultimate objective should be to strengthen local governance systems and ensure that public resources are managed responsibly and used for their intended purposes,” he said.
