The tale of two missing vehicles has cast a shadow over the Ministry of Labour and Employment, as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sounded the alarm over procurement lapses and interest charges linked to unsettled claims.
The issue came to light during the PAC’s review of a GH¢223,127 payment claim, highlighted in the Auditor-General’s special audit report on government arrears totaling GH¢68.7 billion. According to the audit, the sum relates to the purchase of two Nissan Tiida saloon cars that, more than a decade after their reported procurement, cannot be located. Making matters worse, the key documents supporting this transaction have also vanished.
When the Ministry’s Director of Finance, Mary Ninson, appeared before the committee on May 18, she admitted that records tied to the acquisition, believed to have taken place in 2011, were missing. Auditors, she explained, had been informed that the Ministry was unable to trace the documentation, leaving the status of the vehicles in limbo.
Ninson also revealed that delays in settling certain obligations led to interest charges, even though partial payments had been made for some price adjustments. The Ministry of Finance, she added, had been notified about the situation.
The documentation woes did not end there. Ninson disclosed that records relating to the procurement of two-horsepower air conditioners were also missing, and while auditors were kept in the loop, efforts to obtain clarification from relevant institutions yielded no official replies.
The probe extended to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, where a building project estimated at GH¢5.1 million was scrutinized. Of this amount, GH¢4.3 million was accepted as certified completed work, but the remaining balance was disallowed by auditors as it related to unfinished construction, a position the Ministry accepted.
When PAC members pressed for details on how 40 percent of payments had been confirmed and what records supported the process, Ninson said the issue only surfaced during the audit. Subsequent efforts to verify the transaction with Japan Motors and other institutions turned up only photocopied documents; no originals could be found.
Ninson emphasized to the committee that original documents are essential for authenticating payment claims. Photocopies alone, she noted, cannot be relied upon for approval or settlement. She insisted that all outstanding claims must be backed by credible, verifiable records before any future payments can be processed.
The PAC’s inquiry underscores the critical need for transparency and accountability in government procurement and record-keeping, as ministries and agencies work to restore public trust and financial discipline.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com