The Vice Chair of the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption, Edem Senanu, says findings from an investigation into Ghana’s COVID-19 expenditure raise questions about the quality of work done by the Auditor-General.

According to him, the significant discrepancy between the amount reported in the Auditor-General’s audit and the expenditure uncovered by the investigation should prompt concerns about what other public spending may not have been accurately captured in official reports.

“I was saying that yes, it is a major concern, you know, five, 10 percent. But when you have far much more than that which was reported, then you begin to wonder what else could our Auditor-General be missing?” he said on JoyNews' The Pulse on Tuesday, September 15.

His comments follow an investigation by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, which found that government spent at least GH¢720 million on COVID-19 fumigation, although the Auditor-General’s special audit captured only GH¢96 million.

Mr Senanu said the issue goes beyond the figures involved, arguing that the discrepancies could undermine confidence in the country’s systems for tracking public expenditure and detecting corruption.

“Which other reports could not be reflecting the true situation and the level of graft? And that’s a major concern,” he added.

He stressed that the amounts involved represent public resources at a time when Ghana is facing significant development challenges.

“The figures by themselves are things that have happened. I tell myself our country is suffering seriously, and if we don’t collectively understand that, the development that we could have gained is being thrown down, is being undermined by these actions,” Mr Senanu said.