Ghana’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has suspended hearings into audits of the country’s Embassy in Washington, D.C. and the 13th All African Games after the Auditor-General withdrew both reports for corrections.
PAC chairperson Abena Osei-Asare announced the decision at the beginning of the Committee’s sittings, saying Parliament could not consider either document until corrected and properly authorised versions had been formally submitted.
She said the Auditor-General had written to Parliament to withdraw the Washington Embassy audit, while the report on the All African Games was stepped down after a debriefing with his office.
“We will not be looking at these two reports until they are brought back to us again,” said the Atiwa East MP.
The two audits had attracted significant public attention because of the scale of the issues identified.
The Washington Embassy report covered the period from January 2017 to June 2025 and identified about US$19.38 million in irregular transactions. The flagged payments involved visa and passport support services, mailing fees and other charges.
The audit followed allegations that Fred Kwarteng, a former locally-recruited ICT staff member, had created an unauthorised link that enabled applicants to be charged additional fees.
The controversy led the government to temporarily close the mission on May 26, 2025. Home-based staff were recalled and local staff were suspended.
The audit of the 13th All African Games highlighted procurement and expenditure irregularities involving accommodation, catering, transport, equipment and infrastructure.
The Auditor-General recommended the recovery of more than GH¢579 million, as well as US$44.35 million and €629,070, from three former officials.
Despite pausing the hearings, Ms Osei-Asare said the withdrawal of the reports did not bring parliamentary scrutiny to an end.
“Our position is that accountability requires agency, but credibility requires accuracy. And we will insist on both,” she said.
When the amended reports are returned, the Committee will examine whether the funds identified can be recovered, whether weaknesses in the relevant systems have been addressed and whether earlier recommendations have been implemented.
It will also consider whether sanctions have been imposed where wrongdoing was established.
Ms Osei-Asare said the PAC would recognise institutions that had introduced reforms, adding that accountability should be firm while remaining fair.
“Public money must have a public account. Standards must lead to action, action must lead to results, and wrongdoing must lead to consequences,” she said.
