15 assemblies in the Northern misapplied and diverted GH¢ 483,690.68 – Auditor General 2018 report reveals

Coordinating Directors and Finance Officers from 15 metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Northern region have been captured by 2018 auditor General report for miaspplying and diversion of monies.

The infractions  amounted to 483,690.68. A total of 47,056,420.30 was allocated to the 28 district assemblies in the Northern region for the year 2018.
Out of the amount, 10,376,711.28 was deducted at source in favor of the assemblies’ services providers leaving net of cash transfer of 36,679,70.02 Ghana cedis.

The affected assemblies have been directed to refund the amount to the assemblies.

Two assemblies, North Gonja and Sawla Tuna Kalba are also expected to refund 240,708.000 to the assemblies for granted as impress to 9 officers for various activities were not retired as at the end of the year.
un-presented payments vouchers from North Gonja, Savelugu Municipal and Mamprugu Moagduri  led 64,849.71 cedis to unaccounted for.
The AG observations indicated that the lapses occurred as a result of poor record keeping and supervision by the finance officers.
The coordinating directors and finance officers the report warned would be jointly held liable if they failed to refund the amount to the assemblies.
The Management of Tatale Sanguli assembly also  misapplied  PWDs funds amounting to 17,809.41 on recurent expenditure which is not related to the PWDs.

The AG has recommended the money be pay back to the PWDs accounts or both finance.
The report fault East Gonja Municipal assembly
for failing to recover debt owed by PFJ program after harvest amounting to  294,275.00.

The AG  further recommended that the Zoomlion company limited to refund  4,748, 550.000 to 8 assemblies it deducted from sources for its formigation exercise.

Northern Regional Auditor Mr  C. K Normanyo revealed this when presentedt he Auditor General report on the management and utilization of district Assemblys’ common fund and other statory funds for the year ended 31sr December 2018 at the  maiden Regional People’s Assembly Forum in Tamale.

The forum which was organized by the Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA) was to review the report and sought the views of the citizens on the implementation of the report

explained that problem came about because at least an officer were supposed to certified the formigation exercise but there was no report to certified that the work was done.

He advised the civil servant to pay attention to such important health issue in respective assemblies.

On delay in completion, the AG report revealed that contract irregularities amounted to  1.859.800.66 Ghana cedis from 8 districts.
They included Nanumba North, Sagnarigu, Mion, Tamale, Kpandai, Karaga and Gushegu assemblies.

The report  recommended to management of the affected assemblies to contractors commenced work on projects on scheduled dates and complete on stipulated dates provided in the contracts.
The report observed that 21 projecta awarded by by 7 assemblies remained uncompleted as at 31st December, 2018.

On the abandoned projects, the AG report revealed that 22 projects which were at the various stages of completion  from 8 assemblies have been abandoned by contractors for almost two years now amounting to GH¢1,494,666.07.

The 8 included Nanumba North, Mion, Bole, Gushegu, Tamale, Sawla Tuna Kalba, Kpandai and Sagnarigu assemblies.
Mr C. K Normanyo was not happy that MMDAs refused to complete critical projects such CHIPs compounds and nurses quarters.

The AG has recommended that prioty be given to abandoned projects before new
ones starts.
The AG also found out that Sagnarigu, Bole and West Gonja paid GH¢ 23,378. 61 paid to  contractors as contingency justification.

The 3 assemblies have been asked to recover the monies from the contractors, failure of which  the coordinating directors, finance officers and engineers should be held liable to pay the amount.

five Assemblies also made payments for various transactions amounting to GH¢483,690.68 without supporting the payment vouchers with the necessary expenditure supporting documents such as signed list of recipients, purchase orders, stores received advise, statement of claims, and official receipts.

The audit report observed that five assemblies,
Nanumba South, Mamprugu Moagduri, Bole, Yendi and East Mamprusi assemblies failed to record fuel purchased amounting to 102,723.22 in vehicle logbooks.
Finance and Transport officers who exhibited poor supervision are to ensure proper accountability of the fuel purchased.