BY Daniel Bampoe
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has disclosed that Ghana has successfully recovered over GH¢12.9 billion in misappropriated public funds, marking one of the largest clawbacks of state resources in recent years.
The recovery follows rigorous scrutiny of government institutions by the Committee in collaboration with the Auditor-General’s Department.
PAC Chairperson, Abena Osei-Asare, revealed the development during a press engagement on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
She attributed the milestone to the sustained pressure on ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to account for infractions captured in the 2024 Auditor-General’s Report.
“What we are doing is yielding positive results. Through our work, backed strongly by the Auditor-General, we have been able to retrieve GH¢12.9 billion for the state. There is a comprehensive report on this recovery which we will share with the public at the right time,” she stated.
A Persistent Problem
Mismanagement and misappropriation of public funds have long plagued Ghana’s governance system.
Over the years, successive Auditor-General’s reports have highlighted systemic lapses, ranging from unaccounted-for expenditure and procurement breaches to unauthorized payments and payroll irregularities.
In 2017, for instance, the Auditor-General, under Article 187 of the Constitution, began enforcing the power of “surcharge and disallowance,” compelling officials and private entities to refund misused funds.
This marked a turning point in accountability but was later stalled by legal and political challenges.
The PAC has since become a critical arm of Parliament, tasked with reviewing audit findings and questioning public officials on financial irregularities.
Its hearings, often televised, have exposed mismanagement at institutions including the Ministry of Health, Ghana Education Service, state-owned enterprises, and various municipal assemblies.
Next Steps
The PAC is expected to resume public sittings on October 27, 2025, where more MDAs will be grilled on the 2024 Auditor-General’s Report.
The Committee is also preparing a detailed report on the GH¢12.9 billion recovery for public dissemination, which could shape policy debates around financial discipline in the public sector.
