Programmes Manager of Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Mary Awelana Addah, has suggested the intensification of the digitization agenda in the country as one of the surest ways of fighting corruption.
Speaking on how the state can reduce these incidents, she explained that digitization in the various institutions reduces the human factor which breeds corruption.
“Digitization still remains one of the key antidotes to our fight against graft and the pilfering of the public purse. It is key because when we digitize the processes, then the human element is reduced”.
Mary Addah
She further explained that just like in the computerized placement system for schools, there continues to be some elements that infiltrate that system.
“You will get people who do not deserve to be in certain places being there but then it [digitization] is still the best way forward”.
Mary Addah
Her suggestion follows the various revelations made by the Auditor-General’s report which suggests that there have been corruption, financial mismanagement and misappropriation as well as bad contractual agreements in some public offices.
While stressing the need to intensify the digitization agenda, she added that monitoring, tracking and supervision should be present.
“The supervision should be as strict and rigorous and very regular as possible. This is because the system cannot work themselves. It is human beings who man these systems and so if the element of supervision is laxed, people will definitely take advantage”.
Mary Addah
Report wasn’t surprising
Touching on how her outfit saw the report, she indicated that it didn’t come to them as a surprise.
“My expectation was that since the PFM Act was put in place in 2015, for us we were thinking that the auditing committee in the various MDAs and the various sector agencies will be able to guide the process of this recommendation implementation. So that going forward, we wouldn’t have this repetitive process that we continue to have as a people”.
Mary Addah
However, she indicated that her outfit was disappointed in the report. She explained that even though measures are being put in place to tackle the various infractions in the country, the situation does not seem to change.
“The sad aspect of the report is that, the Auditor General continues to repeat almost if not the same, similar recommendations cutting across the year and that is really not ideal”.
Mary Addah
Auditor General’s report
The Audit Service presented to Parliament all the 12 statutory Auditor-General’s Reports, including four performance audit reports required to be made available to the legislature by June 30, each year.
Among other things included in the report, for instance, it was revealed that the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), between 2014 and 2016, procured prepaid meters and conductors worth ¢59million, but the machines are still locked up in the company’s warehouse.
