PAC Refers Former Defence Official for Prosecution as Ghana Escalates Accountability Drive Across Ministries

Ghana’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has recommended the prosecution of Frank Oliver Kpodo, a former Director of Procurement at the Ministry of Defence, following a high-stakes hearing into a GH¢4.8 million procurement scandal. Kpodo is accused of falsifying documents related to the purchase of six vehicles intended for monitoring the 2024 General Elections—vehicles that the Auditor-General confirmed were never supplied despite the issuance of store receipt vouchers. During the session, Committee Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor rejected Kpodo’s claims that the vehicles were initially delivered but later removed by the supplier due to payment delays. Consequently, Ranking Member Samuel Atta-Mills has officially referred the matter to the Attorney-General, emphasizing that the lack of accountability in such high-value transactions will no longer be tolerated.

Parallel to the procurement probe, the government is facing intense criticism over the 'Tax for Galamsey' scandal, where district assemblies were found to be collecting levies from illegal miners. Minister of State Felix Kwakye Ofosu defended the decision not to sanction Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), arguing that the collections were based on flawed 'institutional arrangements' rather than individual misconduct. This stance has drawn sharp rebukes from civil society leaders like Kenneth Ashigbey of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining and Awula Serwah of Eco-Conscious Citizens. They contend that collecting fees from illegal activities is a criminal violation of Act 995 and have called for immediate legal consequences rather than the government's proposed 'retraining' approach.

The PAC sittings further exposed significant financial discrepancies across several other state agencies. Questions were raised regarding GH¢21 million spent on renovating Black Star Square for the 67th Independence Day celebration, despite the event being relocated to the Eastern Region. Additionally, the committee rejected GH¢91.8 million in reported arrears from the Ministry of Trade and Industry due to a lack of verifiable evidence. In a more positive development for the state, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem announced that Rans Logistics has refunded GH¢19.1 million following an audit into overpayments for grain transportation, marking a small victory in the effort to validate the nation's GH¢68 billion debt arrears.

In response to these systemic lapses, government leadership is introducing stricter fiscal controls and oversight protocols. Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has issued a directive that he will no longer accept accountability for financial transactions that bypass his office, mandating that all agency requests must be signed by heads of departments to prevent duplication and fraud. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Finance is preparing a new Loans Act to tighten controls on public borrowing, linking future debt strictly to high-impact investments. These measures aim to restore market credibility and ensure sustainable fiscal management as the country prepares for significant debt maturities in the coming years.

Despite these reforms, the political atmosphere remains tense with ongoing legal and institutional disputes. Former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame has threatened a defamation lawsuit against Felix Kwakye Ofosu over claims regarding illegal mining reports, while the Institute of Economic Research and Public Policy (IERPP) has questioned the government's sincerity in fighting corruption. The IERPP highlighted a contradiction in the government's passing of the Governance Advisory Council bill while simultaneously blocking investigations into $214 million in alleged losses at GoldBod. As these investigations and legislative changes unfold, the focus remains on whether these actions will translate into genuine accountability or remain mere procedural exercises.