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Deputy Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Davis Ansah Opoku, has called for a transformation in the committee’s work, urging that Ghana should reach a stage where recurring financial infractions in public institutions are eliminated.
Speaking in an interview with Keminni Amanor on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, May 24, 2026, Mr. Opoku said the ultimate goal should be for PAC to focus less on repeated audit irregularities and more on improving the financial performance and profitability of state institutions.
“I mean, we should get to a point where Public Accounts sit and there is nothing to talk about,” he said. He added that the committee should shift its focus toward analysing why some institutions perform better financially than others, encouraging improved profitability for the state.
“We should get to a point where PAC meets and all we do is scrutinize financials because institutions are making profits. Last year you made 130% profit; why has it dropped to 20% this year? What changed? Channel that energy into improving finances so that next year you can make 300% profit. That way, the state benefits, and we all benefit as a people,” he explained.
Mr. Opoku also expressed concern over the persistent recurrence of audit infractions, emphasizing the need for parliamentary committees to track whether flagged institutions are implementing corrective measures.
“We feel it should reach a point where every parliamentary committee reports back to PAC, saying that infractions identified in 2025 have been corrected. Only then can we bring finality to these matters,” he said.
He stressed that many issues continue to repeat in each audit cycle, highlighting the necessity of systems that monitor compliance and reform implementation.
“Sometimes the same issues keep recurring in every auditing cycle. We need to report to the Ghanaian public on the progress: in 2025, this issue was flagged, and this is how it has been corrected so far,” he added.
Touching on the Value for Money Office, Mr. Opoku said the initiative complements PAC’s work rather than rendering it redundant. “It all strengthens financial scrutiny and ensures the public purse is protected,” he noted.
He further emphasized the need for stronger laws and policies to close loopholes and enhance accountability in public fund management. “PAC is not made redundant. To plug the holes, we need more laws and policies to address the loopholes identified,” he remarked.
Story by Efua Nessa