Accra, Feb.12, GNA-The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has faulted the management of the Information Services Department (ISD) for failing to account for the withdrawal of an amount GH₵1,313,821 from the bank without supporting documents.
The Committee, however, requested the Audit Service to assist the management of the Information Services Department with some supporting documents regarding the transaction to enable them to question the people responsible for the issue.
Mr James Klutse Avedze, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee made the observation when the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and other officials from the Ministry appeared before the Committee to respond to queries in the 2018 Auditors General Report being considered by PAC.
The Auditor General’s report revealed that between January 2017 and October 2017, the management of ISD made a withdrawal of GH₵1,313,821 without Payment Vouchers and other supporting documents to authenticate the transaction.
The Auditor General cited the management of the ISD for unsubstantiated payments contrary to regulation 39 of the Financial Administration Regulation 204.
Mr David Owusu-Amoah, Director of the ISD responding the queries explained that when they took over as new management they wrote to Auditor General to assist them with some documents since the former Accountant, Mr William Sarbah who dealt with the transaction have passed on and was difficult getting some supporting records regarding the matter.
He said the challenge facing the new management is to be able to have the source documents to resolve the issue.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah also added that since September 2020, to May 2021, the Ministry have written several letters to the Auditors General’s Department for them to assist with the details of the transaction to enable the current management of the ISD to do a detailed follow up on the persons who may be responsible for any infractions.
He said though the ISD was yet to receive any response from the Auditor General, nonetheless, they have taken measures to help resolve the matter.
