The fight against corruption is dangerous – Auditor General

General News on Friday, June 14, 2019

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

2019-06-14

The Auditor General, Daniel Domelovo, said that it was more dangerous to fight corruption because it involved exposing oneself to dangers.

However, it is inevitable and very necessary that this be done, he said, because it keeps the country healthy in spirit.

"We must fight against corruption, not because the fight against corruption is easy, I generally say that the fight against corruption is dangerous. Anyone fighting corruption exposes them to danger. And corruption will fight you every day, in all its forms. This is why many people do not like fighting corruption because they do not want the fight that corruption will bring them. But it is more dangerous not to fight against corruption because it will end us. So when you weigh what happens if we fight corruption as opposed to our fight against corruption, I think we need to fight corruption, "he said.

Speaking on the occasion of the anniversary of the occupation of Ghana by the Attorney General, Vice President Mahammudu Bawumia emphasized that the Occupyghana case was a defining moment in our national efforts to reduce corruption. Reaffirm that fighting corruption is about fighting "demons and principalities" and that, even if it can not be eradicated, corruption can be reduced.

"I said that when you fight corruption, it's almost as if you're fighting demons and principalities. that he keeps coming back. When you even think you have killed him, he will raise his head. "

He said the work of the Auditor General can not be considered in isolation and that the fight against corruption requires the combined efforts of Ghanaians.

"The ability of the Auditor General and his willingness to make such accusations against individuals and institutions and the disallowance of spending are powerful tools in the fight against spending and deliberate thefts committed by public officials. But the work of the Auditor General can not be considered in isolation. The fight against corruption is a joint effort of state institutions and the public, in the guise of civil society, media and individuals. "

Mr. Bawumia added that in order to effectively fight against corruption, effective institutions and systems must be put in place.
"What matters in the fight against corruption and in the protection of public funds are effective and efficient institutions and systems."

According to the founding member of OccyGhana Ace Ankomah, the struggle between OccupyGhana and the Attorney General was tough, but they succeeded.

He urged the government, however, to "endow the agencies with resources and enforce the laws of the land, and Ghana will be victorious.

"Ghana welcomed us here. What awaits us is more than we expect, but we continue to act. It is said that real men and women do not jump from one building to another, they make small determined steps, always more overtime. And so, little by little, we will get there. The last words of Ghana Incorporated should be read and finally Ghana won. Ghana has to sing DJ Khaled's song that says, "All I do is win, win, no matter what, I can never get enough, every time I go up in the world." building, everyone goes up and stays .It's because Ghana has to win.Resource agencies, enforce the law, Ghana will prevail.

Context

On June 14, 2017, the Supreme Court granted all of the relief sought by OccupyGhana, the lobbying and overtaking powers of the Auditor General.

According to the Court, the Auditor General must issue disallowance and surtaxes for all money paid that was spent contrary to the law.

The OccupyGhana lobby led the war against the lethargic attitude of the auditors general, which he accused of not enforcing the law and not protecting the public purse.

Each year, the Auditor General seriously identifies numerous instances of misuse by public office holders of huge amounts.

Sometimes public officials make a confession to the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts, but none is ever held responsible or punished.

OccupyGhana has baderted forcefully that the Auditor General has the power to reject expenditures that are not in compliance with the law and to overburden those responsible.

The group hired the auditor general to ask him to enforce the law and recover the billions spent, but the then Auditor General did not seem willing or able to do that.

The Auditor General's rumors forced the lobby group to go to the highest court in the country last June to obtain specific orders regarding the powers of the Auditor General to reject the expenses and surcharges that officials were given financial irregularity.