Amidu to get GHC180m to fight corruption

The Special Prosecutor’s Office will receive ¢180 million in 2019 to fight corruption, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has disclosed.

He said the move is in line with the government’s promise to fight corruption and the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, remains committed to seeing it through.

“In this budget, the Special Prosecutor’s Office has been allocated an amount of GH¢180 million from GoG with a commitment to provide additional resources during the course of 2019 to enable the Special Prosecutor’s Office to carry out its mandate,” the Minister said during the presentation of the 2019 budget statement in Parliament.

In line with the government’s promise to protect the public purse, President Akufo-Addo created the Office of the Special Prosecutor when he took office.

A bill was assented five days to the first anniversary of the government and Martin Amidu subsequently appointed to head the Office.

However, almost a year after creation of the Office, no case has been filled in court by the Special Prosecutor who has on many occasions complained about the lack of resources and a law to regularise his duties.

The Legislative Instrument which will prescribe the procedure for reporting corruption to the Special Prosecutor and how corruption-related cases should be handled and convictions secured, has reached Parliament and it is hoped that the House can pass it before the close of the year.

The Finance Minister also stated that government will restructure and strengthen the Internal Audit Function in the public sector to play its expected role in ensuring effective risk management, control and improvements in governance processes in the public sector.

“The Ministry of Finance is currently supporting the Internal Audit Agency to conduct extensive stakeholder consultations as part of the key processes that will lead to restructuring the Internal Audit Agency.

“This will help to align the activities of Internal Auditing to national objectives,” he said.

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