Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Acting Minister of Defense, has directed the newly inaugurated Internal Audit Committee of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) to safeguard public funds and ensure the Ministry never appears in future Auditor-General’s reports for financial infractions.
Speaking at the swearing-in of the six-member committee on Friday, Dr Forson said nationwide audits had revealed “avoidable and troubling” breaches in public financial management, warning that such trends undermine public trust in state institutions and democratic governance.
The committee is chaired by Mr. Joseph Frederick Odartey Blankson, former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana. Other members include Mr. Patrick Vug Nanke, Head of Internal Audit and Investigations at the Internal Audit Agency;
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Mrs. Gloria Dami-Baah, a Chartered Accountant and seasoned auditor; Brigadier General Ben Gah, former Commander of the 15 Armored Brigade; and Mr. Dominic Agyemang.
Dr Forson referenced a special audit he ordered to review GH¢18 billion in bank transfer advices. The joint exercise by the Auditor-General, SNY and PwC led to the rejection of GH¢1 billion in processed invoices awaiting payment at the Bank of Ghana.
“Had we not paused the payments for an audit, GH¢1 billion of public funds would have been lost,” he said. “If one audit can throw out GH¢1 billion, then what has happened over the last 10 years?”
He cited a vehicle procurement case where documents had been validated for payment despite no vehicle being delivered. “Who signed the stores receipt voucher? Who validated it?” he asked, stressing that such lapses did not originate from politicians alone.
He called for strict internal control systems across MDAs and insisted that the MoD must not become a source of such breaches. “If any part of this country fails, not the Ministry of Defense. This is where the line of integrity must be drawn.”
Dr Forson said the Ministry must demonstrate transparency and accountability, especially after a challenging economic period during which many citizens lost pensions and savings.
Mr. Odartey Blankson assured that the committee would ensure prompt implementation of audit recommendations and strengthen internal controls to prevent infractions.
He condemned the habit of endorsing stores receipt vouchers without physically verifying items. “How does anyone sign a stores receipt voucher without seeing the item?” he asked. He said the committee would proactively advise on risk management, governance and internal controls to protect public resources.
Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency, Mr. Thomas Thompson Aryee, said gaps in the national internal audit framework continued to limit the ability of auditors to oversee payment and procurement processes.
Internal auditors, he noted, are still excluded from approval workflows, resulting in transactions being completed without their knowledge.
He highlighted the rollout of the Commitment Control and Certification (CCC) system but said compliance remained low, with only 109 out of 647 institutions submitting third-quarter reports.
He appealed to the Acting Defense Minister to consider enforcing sanctions to drive compliance.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Defense, the Internal Audit Agency and other stakeholders.
