The Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Davis Ansah Opoku, has proposed a set of reforms, including artificial intelligence-assisted auditing and a national contract monitoring portal, to strengthen accountability in Ghana’s public financial management system.

Mr Opoku said the proposed measures are needed to move Ghana’s audit processes from a system that identifies problems after they occur to one capable of detecting irregularities in real time.

Speaking at a panel discussion at the National College of Defence Studies (NCDS), Burma Camp, the Mpraeso MP proposed the creation of a National Public Contract Performance Portal to track public contracts from the award stage through to completion.

He also called for the adoption of AI-assisted continuous auditing tools to help identify financial irregularities early and improve oversight of public expenditure.

Another proposal was the establishment of a Public Accounts Implementation Office, which would ensure that unresolved audit cases are automatically referred for further action after 18 months.

Mr Opoku argued that such a system would prevent prolonged delays in addressing audit infractions.

“You cannot lobby a calendar,” he said, emphasising the need for timelines and automatic processes in enforcing accountability.

He said safeguarding public finances is not only an economic responsibility but also a national security concern, adding that stronger accountability mechanisms are essential for protecting Ghana’s resources and improving public trust.