The Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, has revealed that government agencies overstated claims totalling GH¢161.98 million, according to the latest Auditor-General’s report.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Ampem Nyarko said the inflated claims were identified through confirmation responses during the audit. He highlighted that several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) were involved.

The report showed that the Department of Urban Roads overstated claims by GH¢57.01 million, the Ministry of Transport by GH¢39.92 million, the Department of Feeder Roads by GH¢22.46 million, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture by GH¢20.08 million, the Ghana Highways Authority by GH¢17.50 million, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by GH¢2.68 million.

Mr Ampem Nyarko emphasised that the findings highlight ongoing gaps in financial management and underscore the need for stronger oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability and proper management of public funds.

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In a move to meet the public demand for justice, the Finance Minister has formally referred the Auditor-General’s findings to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice. The goal is to bring criminal charges against those responsible for what the Ministry termed the "rape of the public purse".

“The Mahama administration refuses to accept this rotten system; in fact, we refuse to normalise waste. And we refuse to ask the Ghanaian people to pay for fraud,” the Deputy Minister told a hushed Parliament.

The statement concluded with a stern warning to public servants: rank will no longer provide immunity. Whether high-ranking directors or junior officers, anyone found to have colluded with contractors or falsified records will face the full rigour of the law.

The Ministry maintains that this moment marks a "decisive break from the past" and a total "reset" of how Ghana manages its wealth. Under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, the government has pledged that the demand for accountability will be met with swift and visible action.