A banking consultant, Dr Richard Atuahene, has expressed skepticism over the government’s plan to establish a specialized court for auditors.
Speaking on Starr FM’s Morning Show, Morning Star on Monday, 15th June, 2026, he argued that the best option will be to strengthen institutional capacity and internal controls in tackling financial malfeasance in Ghana’s public financial management system.
Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson recently announced plans to set up the auditors’ court as part of efforts to enhance oversight of internal auditors and improve accountability in the management of public resources.
However, Dr. Atuahene, speaking downplayed the potential impact of the specialized court, urging authorities to prioritize systemic reforms instead.
“I don’t know where this one is coming from. Have they looked at the Constitution?” Dr. Atuahene questioned.
He noted that the Constitution establishes the High Court, Appeal Court, and Supreme Court on financial malfeasance.
Dr. Atuahene highlighted practical challenges in the judicial system, pointing out that financial crime cases often take up to two years to resolve.
“It’s not the court that matters. There are weaknesses and internal weaknesses in the systems,” he said.
The banking analyst further stressed the need to build capacity before creating new judicial structures.
“If you are setting up a special court, you first need to build capacity. Capacity means that, do we have the lawyers who are well versed in finance and accounting and audit? And do we have judges who have been trained?,” he queried.
According to Dr. Atuahene, simply announcing a new court, will not solve underlying problems.
“You don’t set another court when you don’t even have the competencies, the skills, and the abilities,” he said.
He therefore urged policy makers to “go and look at the whole operational system there, and build internal control system within so that we’ll be able to reduce these malfeasances.”
When asked whether the solution lies in systemic fixes rather than dedicating a particular court to audit-related cases, Dr. Atuahene agreed expressing doubt that courts alone can address financial misconduct effectively.
“Somebody has caused a financial malfeasance in an institution, and he goes to the court…I have never seen anywhere in this world that the court can solve financial malfeasances [at a go] in Ghana,” he stated. “Because the way the system is, it will take years and years and years to stop it.”
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
