A-G does not have the power to direct Auditor-General – Alfred Tuah-Yeboah
Deputy Attorney-General, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, says the Attorney-General does not have the power to direct the Auditor-General on what to do.
According to him, the independence and autonomy of the Office of the Auditor-General is guaranteed in Article 187 of the 1992 constitution.
He was speaking concerning the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame’s advice to the Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah-Asiedu, to unpublish his report on the Covid-19 expenditure pending the fulfillment of constitutional injunctions leading to the ultimate publication, including submitting the report first to Parliament.
According to the Attorney-General, the publication of the report ahead of its scrutiny by Parliament or a committee of it is unconstitutional and premature.
The Attorney-General’s comments have raised the ire of civil society organisations and Members of Parliament who argue Godfred Dame’s advice was tantamount to an interference in the work of the Auditor-General and a breach of the autonomy of that office.
But Deputy Attorney-General argues otherwise.
According to him, he Attorney-General’s comment was merely an advice and was not binding on the Auditor General.
The Attorney-General does not have the power to direct or control the Auditor General so if any publication has been made, at best what the Attorney-General could do, and which we have done is to offer an advice. And you know an advice is not binding.
“You can look at article 187 of the constitution; you’ll get a situation where you look at the independence of the Auditor-General. So what the Attorney-General is seeking to do is not to direct or to control the Auditor-General to unpublish but solely to advice which we have done that’s why it’s not binding.,” he said.
Source: Ghana News
