Audio By Carbonatix
The Supreme Court Wednesday morning granted all the reliefs sought by pressure group, OccupyGhana, in respect of the Auditor-General's powers of disallowance and surcharges.
According to the Court, the Auditor-General must issue disallowance and surcharges in respect of all state monies found to have been expended contrary to law.
The second relief granted by the Court is that the Auditor-General must take steps to recover all amounts lost to the state, and this covers private persons.
The Attorney-General has also been ordered to ensure enforcement of the orders including criminal prosecution where necessary.
OccupyGhana has been waging war against the lethargic attitude of Auditors-General whom it accused of not applying the law and protecting the public purse.
Every year, the Auditor-General makes serious findings of many instances of misapplication of colossal amounts by public office holders.
Sometimes the public officers make admissions before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament but none is ever held accountable or punished.
OccupyGhana has argued strenuously that the Auditor-General has the power to disallow expenditures which are not in conformity with the law and to surcharge those responsible.
The group engaged the Auditor-General demanding him to apply the law and recover the billions that went into the drain but the then Auditor-General didn't appear willing or capable of doing this.
The dithering of the Auditor-General compelled the pressure group to head to the highest court of the land in June last year for specific orders regarding the powers of the Auditor-General to disallow expenditures and surcharge officers found to have engaged in financial impropriety.
The court Wednesday granted all the reliefs.
It further ordered the Attorney-General to take steps to prosecute persons found to have misapplied public funds.
Joy News' Joseph Ackah-Blay who was in court reported that members of OccupyGhana who were in court expressed excitement after the judgment was read by Justice Sophia Akuffo.
They believe the court's decision will be applied to retrieve public money misappropriated by public office holders.
Latest Stories
-
Partey visa ban: We are racing against time – Ablakwa reveals barely 48hrs to Ghana’s opener
14 minutes -
Office of Government Machinery not burdened by political appointees — Kwakye Ofosu replies Damongo MP
45 minutes -
US Air Force B-52 bomber plane crashes after take off in California
52 minutes -
SpaceX IPO raised $10bn more than thought
53 minutes -
Heroic Cabo Verde clinch draw with Spain
58 minutes -
Parents of 24 Ghanata SHS students agree to pay GH¢5,200 over alleged food theft by their wards
1 hour -
Kasapreko PLC lists on GSE, opens new chapter for growth
2 hours -
AI strategy key to positioning Ghana as leader in responsible AI development – Bandim Abed-Nego
2 hours -
Damongo MP urges CSOs to probe true cost of Mahama’s government
2 hours -
Ministerial numbers alone do not reveal government size – Samuel Jinapor
2 hours -
Ghana’s flooding problem caused by years of poor attitudes and weak enforcement – Researcher
2 hours -
Two diesel trailers collide at Kwahu Hwidiem
2 hours -
ACRC workshop pushes research-led reforms to strengthen decentralisation and urban governance
2 hours -
Diaspora Girls SHS in distress: Students learn under trees, attend classes in canteen amid severe infrastructure deficit
2 hours -
Accra Brewery PLC kicks off ‘Cheers to Bars’ with World Cup viewing experience
3 hours