Pressure group OccupyGhana has criticised the government’s latest move to convene a high-level meeting on enforcing findings from the Auditor-General’s reports, describing it as another “talk shop” that risks focusing on publicity rather than results.
The group was reacting to an October 20, 2025, press release from the Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, announcing a meeting between President John Dramani Mahama, acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Attorney-General Dr. Dominic Ayine, and Auditor-General Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu to discuss measures for strengthening the enforcement of audit findings and the creation of special courts to handle related offences.
While welcoming efforts aimed at improving public accountability, OccupyGhana cautioned that Ghana does not need more meetings or committees, but decisive enforcement of existing laws.
“We welcome any sincere step that might strengthen accountability in public finance. However, this latest meeting risks becoming yet another high-level talk shop: long on publicity and short on results,” the group stated.
“What is needed is simple: ENFORCE THE LAW.”
Supreme Court ruling already clear
OccupyGhana recalled that the Supreme Court’s 2017 decision in OccupyGhana v. Attorney-General affirmed that the Auditor-General has a mandatory constitutional duty to disallow unlawful expenditures and surcharge those responsible, while the Attorney-General must ensure enforcement.
The group noted that this ruling remains binding, adding that Ghana had already seen positive results when it was properly implemented.
“Under then Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, Ghana finally saw these provisions implemented for the first time since the Constitution came into effect,” it said.
“Between June 2017 and November 2018, the Auditor-General issued 112 surcharge certificates and recovered GHS67.3 million for the state.”
According to the group, this progress has since stalled.
“The current Auditor-General has refused to perform the same constitutional duties. No known disallowances or surcharges have been made, and no funds have been recovered,” the statement added.
‘A familiar pattern of inaction’
OccupyGhana accused successive governments of resorting to meetings and directives that achieve little.
“In October 2022, the President, after one such meeting, directed the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) and the Attorney-General to investigate infractions cited in the Auditor-General’s reports and to report back within four weeks. That directive achieved nothing, because the law already required those actions. There was no need for another presidential instruction, only enforcement,” the group said.
It further dismissed the idea of designating new “special courts,” saying such courts had already been established years ago under the former Chief Justice but with no visible results.
“Without enforcement, this new initiative will be yet another expensive charade,” the group warned.
‘The time for talk is long past’
OccupyGhana called for the immediate resumption of disallowance and surcharge actions by the Auditor-General and for the Attorney-General to ensure prosecution and enforcement in line with the Supreme Court’s directive.
“The law does not need to be strengthened; it simply needs to be obeyed,” the group said.
“Ghanaians are tired of photo opportunities dressed up as reform. The time for talk is long past. Ghana deserves institutions that act, not officials who only announce intentions.”
Source: citinewsroom.com
