The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament will, from Monday (August 23, 2021), commence a 13-day zonal public hearing to consider four Auditor-General’s reports that have been referred to the committee for consideration.

The hearing, which will begin on August 23 and end on September 4, 2021, will allow the 25-member committee to consider the report of the A-G on Polytechnics and Senior High Schools (SHS) for the year ended December 31, 2017.

The committee will also consider the A-G’s report on the management and utilization of District Assembly Common Fund (DACF), other statutory funds as well as accounts of district assemblies (IGF) for the same period.

Institutions

The institutions that are billed to appear before the committee from August 23 to August 28, 2021, in Tamale are the Tamale Technical University, Bolgatanga Polytechnic, Wa Polytechnic as well as other SHS in the Northern Savannah and the North East regions.

Besides, all metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in the Upper West and Upper East regions that had also been cited in the A-G’s report will also appear before the committee the same day.

From August 30 to September 4, 2021, the institutions that are to appear before the committee in Sunyani are the Kumasi Technical University and the Sunyani Technical University, various second cycle schools as well as all assemblies in the Bono, the Bono East and the, Ahafo and the Ashanti regions.

Doorstep of Ghanaians

Briefing the Daily Graphic on the committee’s zonal hearing, the Chairman of PAC, Mr James Kletus Avedzi, said the hearings were meant to bring the work of the committee to the doorstep of Ghanaians in other parts of the country to enable the people to observe the sittings of the committee live.

That, he said, would also help to reduce significantly the cost the government incurred in bringing various public officials from all the regions to Accra to answer to questions raised by the Auditor-General in his report.

“Bringing all witnesses from the various regions to Accra will cost the government in terms of accommodation, hotel bills and many other expenditures. But, if the committee should go to them and group all of them in one area, it will reduce the cost to the government,” he said.

He expressed the hope that by the end of September, the committee would have considered the four reports by the A-G to prepare a report for Parliament for consideration

Impact

Mr Avedzi said the impact of undertaking zonal public hearings had contributed largely to saving cost for the various MMDAs as well as the senior high schools.

“It also gives the opportunity for the local people to listen and watch to the committee’s work and this expands education as people understand the work of the PAC. This leaves positive impression of those who come to witness our sittings,” he said.