The
Auditor-General
is
pursuing
a
driver
who
failed
to
deliver
about
three
million
pieces
of
male
condoms
and
other
contraceptives
valued
at
GH¢1.34
million
to
the
Regional
Medical
Stores
(RMS)
in
the
Eastern
Region.
The
driver,
Joe
Gyaten,
was
tasked
to
deliver
the
contraceptives,
including
120,000
vials
of
Depo-Provera
(birth
control
shot),
to
the
Regional
Medical
Stores
on
August
22,
2022,
but
the
entire
consignment
was
never
received
at
the
stipulated
destination.
Mr
Gyaten
has
also
not
been
able
to
account
for
the
items
until
today,
prompting
the
Auditor-General’s
inquest
and
efforts
to
recover
the
funds
in
accordance
with
Section
96
of
the
Public
Financial
Management
Act,
2016
(Act
921).
Section
96
of
the
Act
stipulates
that
a
person,
connected
with
the
procurement
or
control
of
government
stores,
who
is
responsible
for
any
deficiency
in
or
for
the
loss,
damage
or
destruction
of
any
stores
or
any
other
government
property,
commits
an
offence
and
is
liable
on
summary
conviction
to
a
term
of
imprisonment
or
a
fine.
Report
on
MDAs
This
was
captured
in
the
latest
Auditor-General’s
Report
on
the
public
accounts
of
ministries,
departments
and
agencies
(MDAs),
which
uncovered
more
than
GH¢2.41
billion
financial
irregularities
in
2023.
The
irregularities
were
mainly
in
the
form
of
cash,
tax,
payroll,
debts
and
loans,
stores
and
procurement,
contracts
and
rent.
Stores
and
procurement
irregularities
discovered
during
the
period
amounted
to
GH¢2.06
million.
It
included
the
GH¢1.34
million
irregularities
relating
to
unaccounted
store
items.
Tax
irregularities
formed
89.6
per
cent
(GH¢2.16
billion)
of
the
total
financial
infractions
reported.
The
total
cash
irregularities
detected
during
the
period
under
review
amounted
to
GH¢88.41
million,
which
represented
3.7
per
cent
of
the
total
irregularities.
Details
The
Auditor-General
discovered
this
during
an
audit.
The
irregularities
were
detected
through
the
Temporary
Central
Medical
Stores
Requisition
and
Issue
Voucher
No.
MOH/GHS
308088,
dated
August
22,
2022.
The
report
stated
that
a
follow-up
investigation
at
the
Regional
Medical
Stores
showed
that
Mr
Gyaten
failed
to
deliver
the
contraceptives
to
the
storage
facility.
As
a
result,
the
items
remained
unaccounted
for,
and
their
whereabouts
remained
unknown.
This
discovery
suggested
a
potential
case
of
misappropriation
or
mismanagement
of
public
resources,
warranting
further
investigation
and
action.
AG’s
recommendation
The
Auditor-General,
therefore,
directed
the
Chief
Director
of
the
Ministry
of
Health
(MOH)
to
ensure
that
the
Head
of
the
Temporary
Central
Medical
Stores
recovered
the
amount
of
GH¢1.34
million
from
the
delivery
officer.
The
report
also
recommended
that
the
recovered
funds
should
be
paid
into
the
Auditor-General’s
Recoveries
Account
at
the
Bank
of
Ghana
(BoG).
It
said
failure
to
comply
would
result
in
the
Chief
Director
and
the
Head
of
the
Temporary
Central
Medical
Stores
being
held
personally
liable
for
the
debt.
“The
officials
will
be
responsible
for
paying
the
amount
if
Mr
Gyaten
fails
to
refund
the
money,”
the
report
added.
MoH’s
position
According
to
the
report,
the
MOH
responded
that
it
had
referred
the
matter
to
the
Health
Intelligence
Unit
for
further
investigation.
The
Health
Intelligence
Unit
is
working
closely
with
the
Criminal
Investigations
Department
of
the
Ghana
Police
Service
to
investigate
the
issue.
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