The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition has been cited for repeating an amount of GH¢3.217 billion in its claims and commitments, funds that had already been settled by the Ministry of Finance
This was captured in the Auditor-General’s report amid heightened scrutiny following the recent rejection of several payables.
Appearing before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), officials of the Ministry were questioned over the duplication and why the already-paid amount was resubmitted.
Deputy Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Richard Gyan-Mensah, explained that at the time the earlier payment was made by the Ministry of Finance, the Energy Ministry had not been notified, leading to the repeated inclusion of the claim.
However, a member of the committee and MP for Manhyia North, Akwasi Konadu, criticised the explanation, stressing that it is the responsibility of the Ministry to proactively verify the status of its claims before submitting them.
He further warned that such lapses, particularly in light of the recent rejection of several payables, must not be allowed to persist.
“You did not find it necessary to find out whether the payables you sent had been relinquished or paid and you are using the position of the Ministry of Finance not coming to you as a justification. I think that is not right. We have to be proactive.
“All these inclusion that has been rejected, that they so claim, if we do not let the process run and let them (technocrats) appreciate what they ought to be doing, we will be faced with this again in 2029,” he said.
