Auditors urged to strengthen scrutiny of procurement processes, payroll systems and major public investments

Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has urged internal auditors to strengthen their scrutiny of procurement processes, payroll systems and major public investments to identify risks early and prevent the misuse of public funds.

He called for the adoption of data analytics, digital tools and continuous risk assessment, stressing that digitalisation must be supported by professional competence, institutional independence and management accountability.

He also urged heads of institutions to empower internal auditors, protect their independence and act promptly on audit recommendations rather than allow the same weaknesses to recur.

The success of the government’s New Economy agenda, he noted would depend not only on the resources mobilised but also on how effectively they were safeguarded and utilised.

“We cannot build a New Economy with old habits of waste, weak controls and avoidable financial losses,” he said.

Mr Ampem, who spoke on behalf of the Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, at the 25th anniversary of the Institute of Internal Auditors Ghana, cited figures from the 2025 Auditor-General’s reports showing that financial irregularities across five categories of public institutions declined from approximately GH¢20.72 billion in 2024 to GH¢7.69 billion in 2025, representing a 62.9 per cent reduction.

He welcomed the decline but said the remaining irregularities demonstrated the need for sustained efforts to strengthen accountability and improve public financial management.

“A 62.9 per cent reduction is progress. GH¢7.69 billion in remaining irregularities is a reminder that the job is far from finished,” he said.

The Deputy Minister also highlighted findings from the audit of government’s legacy arrears and payables, which saw GH¢8.1 billion out of GH¢68.7 billion in claims submitted for verification rejected.

He said the rejected claims included those with inadequate supporting documentation, duplicate claims, falsified receipts and claims for work not done.

“The lesson is that it is better to stop an improper payment before it is paid than to spend years trying to recover it,” he said.