Ghana Audit Service to launch tracker to monitor unpaid surcharges

The Ghana Audit Service has announced plans to launch an online tracker in October 2026 to monitor the implementation of audit recommendations. Auditor-General Dr. Pamela Graham stated the in-house system will track outstanding recommendations, reasons for delays, and the status of recovered funds to identify institutional weaknesses.

This initiative follows reports of significant financial mismanagement. Abena Osei-Asare, chairperson of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, noted that GH¢280.5 million in surcharges remains uncollected, though GH¢57.2 million has been recovered since 2022. Additionally, 2025 reports indicated financial irregularities totaling GH¢5.2 billion, with GH¢4.8 billion attributed to tax irregularities.

Professor Francis Dodoo, Presidential Advisor on the National Anti-Corruption Programme, urged the Service to strictly enforce its powers of disallowance and surcharge to deter the misappropriation of public funds. He noted that Ghana has lost approximately GH¢100 billion over the last six years due to financial irregularities. To combat this, experts have called for more punitive surcharge rates and the adoption of modern auditing tools, including artificial intelligence and data analytics.