The Ghana Audit Service is demanding that the Auditor General Daniel Domelevo returns imprest of $4,020 from foreign travels in 2018 which was not retired.
In a letter signed by Edward Dua Agyemang, Chairman of the Service on November 30, he said records available from an investigation shows that aside the per diem given to Mr Domelevo for a travel to the UK he failed to return the unused additional amount.
He wrote, “To ensure prudent use of the Service’s resources as required under Regulation 22 of the Audit Service Regulations, 2011 (C.I. 70), the Audit Service Board contracted K and A Accounting Services to audit the foreign travels of Top Management Staff (Auditor-General and Deputy Auditors-General).
“The Auditors have since completed the audit and submitted their report to the Board. Records made available show that in March and April 2018 you travelled with George Swanzy Winful to London and The Hague, in addition to your total per-diem allowance of US$1,641.10 you were also given an additional amount of US$4,020.00 as accountable imprest.”
He added, “The audit report shows that you have not retired the accountable imprest. In accordance with the laid down principle by the Auditor-General in his letter dated April 3, 2019 addressed to the late Mr. James Frempong (copy attached), you are required to account for the amount of US$4,020.00 that was released to you with receipts within two weeks from the date of receipt of this letter.”
But unperturbed Mr Domelevo said the legality of the said audit of his foreign travels is at the Supreme Court.
He directed that Mr Dua Agyemang and the Board read “Sections 2(3) and 7 of the Public Financial Management Act 2016” and they “will realise that the mandate you and the board purport to have under the Audit Service Regulations 2011 (CI 70) is that of the Principal Spending Officer- hence I am not accountable to you. That said, not even a pesewa is outstanding against me for any advance or imprest that I took for any of my travels.”
Mr Domelevo also questioned why the Audit Service Chair still holds himself as the Board Chairman after the expiration of the Board’s term of office on October 11, 2020 contrary to Section 5 of the Audit Service Act 2000(Act 584).
“Until you provide evidence of your reappointment in accordance with article 189(1) and section 5(1) of Act 584, I deem you to be acting ultra vires and will treat you as such,” he concluded his response.
Source: myjoyonline.com
