Private audit firm appointed to audit Domelevo’s foreign travels

A private firm, K&A Accounting Services has been appointed to audit foreign travels of the Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo, and other top management of the Audit Service from 2017-2020,

The firm which was appointed by the Audit Service Board has begun the audit is expected to audit GH¢2.1 million and $199,000 “spent on foreign travels by the Auditor-General and top management staff”.

This is according to documents sighted by Daily Graphic.

Meanwhile, Daniel Domelevo has described the action as unconstitutional, saying per the constitution, only parliament has the mandate to audit the account of the audit service referencing Article 187 (15) of the 1992 Constitution.

The Auditor-General further said Article 189 of the Constitution which established the Audit Service Board did not give the board the power to commission audits into the activities of his office.

But the Audit Service Board responded to Mr. Domelevo emphasizing that it is within their board mandate to appoint a private firm to investigate the Auditor-General as prescribed by law.

According to Daily Graphic, “A letter, signed by the Chairman of the Audit Service Board, Professor Edward Dua Agyeman, dated October 8, this year and addressed to Mr Domelevo, accused him (Domelevo) of preaching accountability and ‘claims to be fighting corruption, yet unwilling to subject himself and his office to audit scrutiny.’”

Prof. Dua Agyeman said per Article 189 (3) (b) of the 1992 Constitution, the board had the power to make regulations through a constitutional instrument “for the effective and efficient administration of the Audit Service”.

In view of Article 189 (3) (b), he said, the board came out with the Audit Service Regulations, 2011 (C.I.70), which states that it (board) shall be “ultimately accountable and responsible for the overall performance of the Audit Service and also secure its public sector financial management and accountability process of the country.”

Flowing from that, Prof. Dua Agyeman said, it was the duty of the board to ensure accountability of all funds entrusted to the Audit Service.

“‘In that instance, the Board observes that the Auditor-General and the top management staff of the service had made many official travels out of the country, without producing any reports to the board or with nothing to show for such travels,” he said.

There has been some bad blood between the Auditor-General and the Audit Service Board.

This perceived struggles between the AG and government commenced when he surcharged the Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo, over his office’s payment of $1million to Kroll and Associates Limited for some consultancy services.

Mr. Domelevo is currently on leave after the board directed him to proceed on his accumulated leave.