Madam Chairperson, our respected host, distinguished guests, all protocol observed.

My sincere and deepest gratitude to Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, the Chief Policy Analyst of the Ghana Institute for Public Policy Options (GIPPO) and the organisers of these lectures in honour and recognition of the life and work of the late Honourable Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, for the honour, to be the speaker for this year, and to share my thoughts on the Citizen and the Protection of the Public Purse.

As you will recall, the late Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu was a Member of Parliament and represented the people of Asante Akim North. He was also Ghana’s Minister of Finance at the time of his death in 2008.

Before his appointment as Minister of Finance in 2005, he had also served as Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (2001–2003) and Minister of Education, Youth and Sports (2003–2005).