The Member of Parliament for Ketu North and the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, James Klutse Avedzi, has accused the Attorney-General of frustrating the state’s fight against corruption.
Speaking on GHOne TV’s State of Affairs with Francis Abban, the lawmaker asserts that despite PAC recommending various sanctions for persons that have flouted the various procurement and public financial laws of the country, the Attorney-General has refused to prosecute any of those found culpable.
“Since 2019, I have started referring to people who flout the financial laws of this country, especially the public procurement acts. All the things the committee has referred to the attorney general for prosecution and the house has adopted the report, as we speak today no action has been taken by the attorney general to prosecute these people,” he told Francis Abban.
“So as a committee I ask myself what am I doing? Why should we spend state money to go do our work and when we give our recommendation the state agencies that are supposed to take action on them, don’t take action?” he further queried.
James Avedzi further expressed his surprise at the inaction of the attorney general which he says is frustrating the fight against corruption.
“If we are actually fighting corruption, why is the attorney general not working on those referrals? It is for him to play his part. If he is not doing it, he is actually frustrating the fight against corruption and he is part of this government.
“We in Parliament today have appealed to the clerk of parliament to officially communicate in writing the recommendation to the A-G and if he refuses to take action, I think the laws are there. Because the public financial management Act 2016 (ACT 921) stipulates clearly that every year the A-G must present a report to Parliament on the action he has commenced on the referrals for persecution and he has never since 2017 till date,” he added.
The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee has hinted parliament will soon subpoena the Attorney-General for his failure to comply with ACT 921.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Edem Kojo
