PAC to prosecute lying heads of institutions

The Public Accounts Committee has issued a final touchline warning to lying officials of public institutions who appear before the committee to assist in finding out how statutory funds are used.

The committee members have threatened to slap charges of perjury against managers and heads of institutions who deliberately lie and mislead the committee.

The touchline warning was issued on Tuesday, shortly after Martin Ayamga, Chief Accountant at the Lands Registration Division of the Lands Commission was deemed to have lied on oath when he appeared before the committee on Tuesday.

Ayamgo told the Committee the Commission's audited accounts for 2007 and 2008 had already been submitted to auditors in 2008.

It turned out, however, that audited accounts were submitted in 2013.

When pushed further by a member of the Committee to be clear on the exact year the audited accounts were submitted, Ayamga said he had been misinformed by his predecessor.

He said he was told the audited accounts for 2007 and 2008 had already been submitted. He explained that he was posted to the Lands Commission in 2012 and did not know those account details- 2007 and 2008 were in arrears.

Members of the Committee were livid with his confession.

A member of the committee said: "So why do you come and sit here, hold the bible, take an oath and tell us an information you don't have knowledge about?"

"We are beginning to take this committee business as business as usual. It is no child's play.

"..If you don't have the information don't come and mislead Ghanaians. We are not here for circus. We are here for very serious business," he warned.

He said very soon lying public officials will be hauled for perjury.

A Deputy ranking member of the committee, George Lowe, later told Joy News' Evans Mensah they will pardon Martin Ayamga, but that will be for the last time.

He said this is the third time public officials have lied to the committee since it began sitting last week.

He warned any official who appears before the committee to lie again will be held for perjury.