The Member of Parliament (MP) for Efutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has charged the Auditor – General and the chairman of the Audit Service Board to refrain from making public pronouncement on petitions from both parties which are the subject of investigation by a committee set up by President Akufo-Addo.
According to him, their comments could be prejudicial and has the potential to result in undue hatred for them.
The MPs fears that the back and forth public comments by Auditor – General and the Board Chair could damage the reputation of the two professionals, negatively impact on the image of the Audit Service and erode confidence in such an important state institution.
Afenyo-Markin said the call to both parties emanated from conversations he had with the Auditor – General following his comment on a radio programme that the Auditor – General should either submit to due process or resign for making the issue a subject of a public lecture.
According to the MP, the Auditor – General Daniel Domelevo who became aware of the call on him to either submits to due process or resign called to explain why he commented on the issue at the public lecture.
Afenyo-Markin stated that Domelevo explained that he made pronouncements on the issue because; the Board Chairman Professor Edward Dua Agyeman has also been speaking publicly about the matter in the media.
According to the MP, the Auditor – General provided recordings of interviews the Board Chairman granted some radio stations and media publications indicating that Prof Dua Agyeman made public comments.
In addition, the MP said the Auditor – General also revealed to him, that the Board Chairman has also filed counter-petition to the president which also forms part of the investigations by the committee set up by the president.
In view of this, Afenyo-Markin called on Domelevo and Prof. Dua Agyeman who are both highly qualified and respected professionals to refrain from public comments on the issue.
The accusations Domelevo is accused Prof. Dua Agyeman, and the Board, of “unlawful interferences and violations” of his constitutional mandate.
According to him, Prof. Dua Agyeman, a former Auditor-General, also attempted to interfere with audit processes and took procurement decisions in his absence.
Prof Dua Agyeman dismissed the claims made against him by Domelevo.
However, at a recent public lecture, Mr Domelevo advised appointing authorities to refrain from appointing former heads of institutions to chair boards of the same institutions the individuals served as heads.