Former Member of Parliament for Sekondi and former Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, has criticised the government’s handling of the supposed GH¢21 billion audit exposé, describing it as a public relations strategy aimed at diverting attention from more pressing national concerns. 

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, March 14, Mr Mercer argued that the timing of the issue raises questions about the government’s intentions.

According to him, several critical matters currently affecting Ghanaians appear to have been pushed aside as a result of the focus on the audit revelations.

“This is all for PR to deflect attention from pressing issues confronting the country,” he stated during the programme.

Mr Mercer pointed specifically to the recent reduction in cocoa prices, which he said has sparked dissatisfaction among cocoa farmers and industry stakeholders. 

He also referenced the ongoing controversy surrounding security service recruitment, where more than 500,000 young people reportedly applied despite the availability of only about 5,000 positions.

“The cocoa price reduction has generated a lot of uproar, and the security recruitment situation has also created serious frustration among the youth,” he noted. 

Mr Mercer insisted that the sudden prominence of the audit issue appears calculated to shift public discourse away from these developments.

He therefore urged the government to focus on addressing the substantive concerns affecting citizens rather than engaging in what he described as strategic communication exercises. 

Mr Mercer maintained that while accountability in public finances is important, the government must not use such issues as a distraction from the urgent economic and employment challenges facing the country.