The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has scrutinised alleged unauthorised deductions from inmates’ daily earnings under a Ghana Prisons Service arrangement with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, demanding accountability for money intended to support prisoners engaged in work programmes.
The Committee’s examination focused on a reported GH¢3 daily deduction from the approved feeding allowance and the handling of funds earmarked for inmate motivation.
During the hearing, Deputy Ranking Member and Member of Parliament for Keta, Honourable Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey member questioned the Prisons Service over the use of money intended to assist inmates with training, counselling and reintegration, seeking an explanation from Interior Minister Honourable Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka.
The inquiry also placed Director-General of Prisons Mrs Patience Baffoe-Bonnie (ESQ.) under scrutiny over how the Service would ensure that eligible inmates receive outstanding payments.
“The auditors noted that for the inmate motivation, a total amount of GH¢277,625 should have been paid to the inmate for the period they were engaged, but the Ghana Prison Service did not make any payment to the inmate.”
Honourable Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey
Responding to the deductions, Honourable Muntaka explained that the GH¢3 component has been used to provide water for inmates working outside prison facilities, but inadequate documentation prompted management to demand a refund. He clarified that the money has been returned to the Auditor-General’s account. He, however, disclosed that the outstanding earnings belong to former inmates.
The Interior Minister further revealed that some workers completed their prison terms before Zoomlion reimbursed the Service for work undertaken, leaving their payments outstanding when they departed. He reiterated that the earnings belong to the individuals who performed the work and that arrangements are being made to ensure they receive what is due.
Interior Minister Calls For Stronger Oversight After Audit
Calls for closer scrutiny of audit findings have emerged at the Public Accounts Committee as Interior Minister Hon. Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka urged prison commanders to take a more active role in addressing financial irregularities identified within their units.
His remarks follow questions over outstanding payments to inmates engaged under a work arrangement involving Zoomlion Ghana Limited and the interpretation of audit recommendations on the funds.
Honourable Muntaka explained that management encountered difficulties reconciling payments received after some inmates had completed their sentences, prompting disagreement over whether the outstanding amounts should be transferred to the Auditor-General’s recovery account or paid directly to the former workers. He challenged the handling of the matter, arguing that the money represented earnings due to the inmates and that the institutions involved must lead to a coordinate and practical resolution.
The Auditor-General’s Department, however, outlined the reasoning behind the recommendation, explaining that auditors asked prison officials about their attempts to contact the inmates and were informed that the telephone numbers supplied were not working. The Department also indicated that auditors requested the contact details to pursue the payments, but prison officials cited “inmates’ rights” as a reason for withholding them.
The department then gave the recommendation that payment to be made to eligible inmates before any remaining funds were transferred to the recovery account.
PAC Chair Honourable Abena Osei-Asare consequently clarified that the audit recommendation distinguished between payments owed to inmates and any balance that should be remitted to the Auditor-General. She cautioned that the Service would be responsible for complying with that direction, and the auditors should not be blamed if the recommendation was disregarded.
In response, Muntaka asserted that the difficulty partly stemmed from how audit findings were communicated and acted upon at the operational level. He urged service commanders to examine management reports, engage auditors directly and instruct the relevant officers to address deficiencies within clear timelines.
“What I encourage my commanders to do is that when the management report comes, they should not allow the officers to handle the interactions with the auditors.”
Hon. Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka
The Minister proposed that such direct oversight would improve cooperation between auditors and prison management, while reducing the likelihood of officers complying with instructions without adequately explaining the circumstances behind particular transactions. He also indicated his intention to review the Interior Ministry’s audit findings with the relevant officials, reinforcing the need for timely corrective action and clearer financial procedures.
Nonetheless, the Committee stressed on the importance of transparent record keeping and proper tracking of payments to ensure that inmates receive the full earnings due to them, particularly when they leave prison before outstanding transactions are settled.
