OccupyGhana backs move to surcharge public officials

A member of OccupyGhana, Kwaku Segbefia, says the group is happy with the move by the Auditor General to surcharge Public Officers who have indulged in misappropriation of public funds. 

Speaking to Radio Ghana, Mr. Segbefia said the group is prepared to stand by the Auditor General if the people surcharged resort to legal means.

For her part, an Anti- Corruption Crusader of the Ghana Integrity Initiative, Mary Adda said the move will help promote accountability and transparency in public office. 

She added that it is a call for public officers to be diligent in their line of duty.


background

The Supreme Court ordered the Auditor- General to surcharge anyone that it founds to have misappropriated public funds.

Per the court judgement, the Auditor General must act on its annual report and take steps to retrieve any public fund found to have been misappropriated.

OccupyGhana sued the Attorney General and the Auditor General for refusing to surcharge persons who are said to have misappropriated monies belonging to the state to the tune of over GHc40 billion.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday morning granted all the reliefs that OccupyGhana, sought with respect of the Auditor-General's powers of disallowance and surcharge.

According to the Court, the Auditor-General must also take steps to recover all amounts lost to the state, and this covers private persons.

GBC