Somebody Just Concocted It – Ato Forson Details GH¢1bn Fictitious Claims Uncovered by Audit
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has disclosed that ongoing audits have uncovered billions of cedis in questionable claims that would have cost the country heavily if they had been approved for payment. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, he said he insisted on a thorough audit after noticing irregularities in the documents submitted for payment.
“The one thing that the auditors are certain about is that they have rejected ¢10 billion and said that they don’t pay because the liabilities are recycled,” he explained. According to him, some officials initially believed the claims had already been processed. “Some of them felt that, oh, as for that one, it’s been processed and it’s legitimate. I said, stop it. My instinct told me, ‘Stop it’, let’s subject it to audit.”
He said the audit uncovered even more troubling findings. “You know how much was there? GH¢13 billion. That GH¢13 billion, the Auditor General has validated GH¢12 billion, the GH¢1 billion left, the Auditor General said, don’t pay, they are fictitious. So somebody just concocted.”
Dr. Forson noted that the rejected claims had already moved through key state institutions. “Only waiting at the Auditor General’s office, at the Controller and Accountant General’s office, and Bank of Ghana, just waiting for cash for payment. If not that audit, Ghana would have lost that one.”
He confirmed that the audit report will name all individuals and companies involved. “The names are there. The audit will be out, and so they will publish not only their names, but the companies and all those behind it.”
