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The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed that officials of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) responsible for unauthorized spending exceeding GH¢180 million in 2023 be referred to the Attorney General for prosecution.
The directive follows damning revelations in the 2023 Auditor-General’s Report, which exposed ECG’s blatant disregard for financial controls and corporate governance procedures by overspending on at least 13 budget items without approval from its governing board.
During the Committee’s sitting on Tuesday, October 28, Ranking Member Samuel Atta-Mills lambasted ECG’s management for what he described as “financial recklessness and lawlessness”, insisting that the company’s leadership must face the full rigour of the law.
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“Staff fuel — did they drive around the world?” Atta-Mills fumed. “You budgeted GH¢2.8 million and spent GH¢3.6 million. Communication expenses — GH¢4.2 million was approved, but you used GH¢7.9 million. Consultancy — GH¢40 million budgeted, GH¢58.6 million spent. Stakeholder engagements — GH¢3.1 million budgeted, GH¢49 million spent! And you still want to increase tariffs?”
The Auditor-General’s findings showed widespread budget overruns across several expenditure categories, including:
- Staff fuel: GH¢2.8m budgeted → GH¢3.6m spent
- Communication: GH¢4.2m budgeted → GH¢7.9m spent
- Consultancy: GH¢40m budgeted → GH¢58.6m spent
- Stakeholder engagements: GH¢3.1m budgeted → GH¢49m spent
PAC members described these figures as “unacceptable” and a gross violation of financial discipline, demanding immediate sanctions.
Mr. Atta-Mills further stressed that without decisive action, such financial mismanagement will continue to drain public funds and burden consumers.
“This level of impunity cannot be tolerated. The officials involved must be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent. ECG cannot continue to overspend and then turn around to demand higher tariffs from struggling Ghanaians,” he said.
PAC Chairperson, Abena Osei Asare, also cautioned ECG to tighten its internal controls and ensure that all expenditures receive proper board authorization before execution.
She emphasized that the Committee will not hesitate to recommend sanctions against any state institution that disregards financial regulations.
The directive to refer the matter to the Attorney General marks a significant step in enforcing accountability within state-owned enterprises, particularly the power sector — which has faced mounting criticism over financial mismanagement, inefficiency, and rising operational costs.
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