Within a fortnight, the internal auditor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Ridwan Kokroko, must ensure that six revenue collectors deposit GH¢110,000 into the local authority’s account.
Alternatively, he will be liable to cover the amount from his own funds. This ultimatum was issued by the Public Accounts Committee during a recent session.
A report from the Auditor-General revealed that out of the GH¢151,000 collected by the six revenue officers, only GH¢41,000 was properly documented.
James Klutse Avedzi, the PAC Chair, emphasized during the hearing that the internal auditor is to shoulder full responsibility for the missing funds.
“Don’t think that this committee doesn’t know anything”, Mr Avedzi fumed, reproaching: “You are not doing your work as an auditor. You are not!”
“I don’t believe that an officer is not well, and for that matter, the file cannot be retrieved”, was his rebuff to an excuse offered by the AMA officials to support their inability to retrieve the funds.
“We are giving you two weeks to go and locate the file and show it to the auditors to ensure that lodgement had been made for these GH¢110,000 and if you fail, we will make you pay the money.”