COVID-19 audit: ‘Heads must roll’ – SEND GHANA calls for prosecution of persons found culpable

All persons and entities found culpable in the COVID-19 Audit Report released by the Auditor General should be prosecuted - that is the call of the Deputy Country Director of SEND GHANA, Dr. Emmanuel Ayifah.

Contained in a statement issued by the institution, Dr. Ayifah expressed disappointment in the fact that so much money was misappropriated from the funds that were set aside for the pandemic.

“Multiple reports suggest that a substantial part of the COVID-19 funds have been grossly misapplied and channelled to fund other government interventions and flagship programs. It is sad to note that out of nearly GH¢22 billion that was raised to fight the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2020 to June 2022, just a little over half (GH¢12 billion) was used to fight the pandemic and its related impact,” he said in the release.

The statement also commended the Auditor General for heading to SEND GHANA’s earlier call on the state and parliament to ensure that it ensures there is value for money in terms of the disbursement of COVID-19 funds.

“In April 2022, SEND GHANA called on the Supreme Audit Institutions, the Auditor General Department and the Parliament of Ghana to, as part of their oversight role, conduct special audit into COVID-19 related expenditures to ensure value for money,” it added.

The SEND GHANA boss also stated that it is his hope that the release of this audit report would not only become another one of such cases where no action is taken on the outcomes of such investigations.

Dr. Emmanuel Ayifah has therefore called for heads to roll.

Read the full statement below:



AE/WA