The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) has rejected a proposal by the Constitutional Review Committee to make the Controller and Accountant General’s Department an independent constitutional body.
According to Dr. Daniel Appiah, Secretary of CLOGSAG’s Internal Review Committee, the recommendation could create unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles in Ghana’s public financial management system.
Speaking to Desmond Okraku Danso on Good Afternoon Ghana on Metro TV on Thursday, March 5, Dr. Appiah said the association believes the current structure of the department under the Ministry of Finance should be maintained.
He explained that the Controller and Accountant General’s Department currently functions as the accounting arm of the ministry and plays a central role in managing and disbursing public funds.
“The Controller and Accountant General’s Department is the accounting unit or the accounting branch of the Ministry of Finance. They are the ones who actually manage the public funds,” he said.
Under the current arrangement, the department acts on instructions from the Finance Ministry when processing government payments and controlling expenditure.
Dr. Appiah questioned the rationale behind the proposal to separate the department from the ministry.
“So the question that arises is, why would you want to take the accountant of the Ministry of Finance from the Ministry of Finance and make that body an independent body?” he asked.
He argued that the Constitutional Review Committee failed to present specific problems within the existing system that would justify such a major institutional change.
“For this particular question, the CRC has not provided any specific kind of problem that occasioned this particular recommendation,” he said.
According to him, creating an independent Controller and Accountant General could lead to institutional friction and delays in financial processes.
“At the end of the day, we are all looking for a public financial management system that is efficient and prudent,” he said.
“If you take away the accounting branch of the Ministry of Finance and make it independent, you are introducing unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.”
Dr. Appiah also warned that the change could create conflicts between the Finance Ministry and the accounting authority if disagreements arise over expenditure approvals.
He added that CLOGSAG believes the better approach is to establish an independent Fiscal Responsibility Council with supervisory powers over public finance institutions.
“There is consensus that if we really want to ensure that our public finances are well managed and avoid reckless expenditure, there is a need to create this independent fiscal responsibility council within the Constitution,” he said.
He noted that both major political parties have previously supported the idea.
“If you look at the NPP’s 2020 manifesto and also the NDC manifesto, they both promised establishing this independent fiscal responsibility council,” he stated.
Dr. Appiah further criticised aspects of the proposed appointment process involving the Council of State, arguing that it may not fully remove political influence.
“How can you tell me that a former president or former vice president will be a member of the council and is not an active politician?” he asked.
Instead, he suggested that appointments should be handled through professional public service structures.
“The Comptroller and Accountant General should be recruited, vetted and recommended by the Civil Service Governing Council,” he said, adding that such an approach would promote merit-based selection.
He also called for broader national engagement on the Constitutional Review Committee’s report, noting that many stakeholders have not yet fully examined its recommendations.
“It is important for civil society groups, academia and other interest groups to subject the proposal to serious scrutiny,” he said.
Dr. Appiah added that CLOGSAG is hoping for a national stakeholder conference to review the proposals before any final decisions are made.
“What we are looking forward to see is some kind of national stakeholder conference where different experts and interest groups come to scrutinise the proposal,” he said.
He revealed that the association intends to present its concerns directly to the president as part of efforts to influence the review process.
Source: metrotvonline.com
