The Local Government Minister Hajia Alima Mahama has served notice to all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) that they will face prosecution should they flout the Public Financial Management Act.
She made this known during a a meeting with the MMDCEs in Koforidua to educate them on the provisions of the Public Financial Management Act and the sanctions there in.
She told the MMDCEs that they must judiciously utilize state resources in order not to find themselves on the wrong side of the law.
“You should also be technically sound. It is not all the time that your coordinating Director, finance officer or budget officer just pushes something and you sign.
“You should have some knowledge if not you will sign your death warrant because now the Public Financial Management Act has sanctions. So if you make a mistake you will be sanctioned and if it is a sanction that you are surcharged; that maybe you can get your family to contribute for you to pay. But, if it is criminal in nature, you know what that means,” she added.
The 2016 Auditor-General Report on Metropolitan ,Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDA’s) revealed that some officials of assemblies mismanaged funds and resources value at approximately Ghc70.1million ,an increase GHS 17 million representing 32% compared to GHS 53.2 million financial infractions discovered by Auditor -General in 2015.
According to report titled: “Management and Utilization of District Assemblies’ Common Fund and other Statutory Funds” for 2016, the management and members of staff of assemblies continued to violate measures put in place to safeguard the public purse “.
