By: Nana Kwasi Roka
When those who once presided over the decay of our public institutions suddenly find their voices to criticize efforts at reform, Ghanaians must pause and ask: what are they trying to hide?
Vincent Ekow Assafuah’s recent attack on the Auditor-General’s payroll audit is not only misplaced—it is a masterclass in political deflection. Cloaked in the language of fairness and institutional protection, his criticism reeks of hypocrisy and desperation. At a time when every cedi counts, and the public is crying out for accountability, the last thing Ghana needs is recycled rhetoric from those who helped break the very system now being repaired.
A Loud Outcry from a Questionable Corner
It is baffling that Mr. Ekow Assafuah, a Member of Parliament from a party whose track record is haunted by unresolved financial scandals and administrative excesses, has taken issue with the Auditor-General’s payroll audit. His sudden interest in the independence and integrity of public institutions would be comical if it weren’t so tragic. Under his government’s watch, the payroll system ballooned with ghost names and questionable recruitments. Now, when a credible effort is being made to clean up the mess, he calls foul?
It is both baffling and ironic that Mr. Ekow Assafuah, a Member of Parliament from the very party that left behind a payroll system riddled with ghost names and dubious appointments, now finds his voice to criticize the Auditor-General’s decision to conduct a special payroll audit.
1. The Audit is Not Political – It is Necessary
The claim that the payroll audit is politically targeted is dishonest. The Auditor-General’s mandate is to ensure financial prudence and value for money in all government operations. The payroll, a major area of leakage, must be subjected to thorough scrutiny. If there are no skeletons in the closet, why the panic?
A clean payroll benefits all governments – past, present and future – and most importantly, the Ghanaian taxpayer. This audit isn’t a partisan tool; it’s a public necessity.
Dishonorable Assafuah’s public outburst accusations of Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, the Auditor-General, of political bias, claiming the audit is premature, targeted and motivated by personal interest are beneath the soundbites and feigned concern lies a glaring attempt to distract from a vital exercise meant to restore credibility and transparency to our public payroll system.
Let’s be clear: this audit is not political – it is necessary.
2. Duplicating Mechanisms or Fixing Their Failure?
Mr. Ekow Assafuah suggests that this audit duplicates mechanisms previously instituted by his own government, such as monthly checks by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department and the FWSC. But if those processes were effective, why are we still battling payroll fraud? Why do ghost names continue to siphon money from state coffers?
The reality is those mechanisms were either too weak or politically compromised. The Auditor-General’s focused intervention brings credibility, transparency and independence – qualities that were evidently lacking under the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia’s corrupt administration of which he Assafuah was an integral part.
Again, to suggest that this audit is duplicative of existing mechanisms is disingenuous. If the Internal Auditors, Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD), and Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) had been so effective, why are we still battling payroll leakages, ghost workers and unjustified salary payments? The truth is, previous attempts lacked the teeth to bite, independence, and willpower that a focused audit by the Auditor-General can provide.
3. Personal Attacks Won’t Shield Systemic Failures
To accuse Prof. Akuamoah Asiedu of undertaking this audit to “save his job” is not just unfounded – it’s a desperate diversion. The Auditor-General has maintained a professional reputation across political transitions. He has questioned both current and former administrations with equal rigour.
The real concern here seems to be fear – fear that the audit will unearth skeletons buried during the NPP administration, perhaps some even endorsed or facilitated by Vincent Ekow Assafuah himself.
4. Distractions Won’t Solve Real Problems
The MP’s claim that the audit is a distraction from national issues like the exchange rate, missing containers at ECG, or allegations of drug trafficking is a smokescreen. Payroll integrity is not a distraction – it is central to sound economic management.
In fact, plugging payroll leakages will save the state millions, funds which can be redirected to address the very issues Ekow Assafuah conveniently mentions. You can’t fix a leaking roof by pretending the rain isn’t falling.
5. Let Institutions Work Without Political Interference
One of the biggest problems our country faces is political interference in independent institutions. What Mr. Ekow Assafuah is attempting is classic: weaponizing public opinion to intimidate and weaken the Auditor-General’s office.
But we cannot claim to be building strong institutions while attacking those that attempt to work. The Auditor-General must be allowed to do his job without fear or favour.
6. Routine Audits Have Failed. It’s Time for Targeted Action
Mr. Ekow Assafuah’s suggestion that payroll issues be addressed in routine audits is laughable. Routine audits have existed for decades, yet payroll rot has only deepened. At some point, we must accept that extraordinary problems require targeted solutions.
This audit is a surgical strike – designed not to embarrass but to heal a festering wound that others lacked the will to treat.
7. Selective Accountability? Let’s Talk About That
Mr. Ekow Assafuah warns of “selective accountability,” yet it was under his party (NPP) that corruption cases were selectively ignored, audit reports were shelved and loyalists were shielded from prosecution. He is in no moral position to lecture anyone on fairness.
If this audit happens to expose individuals aligned with the previous administration, that is not persecution – it is consequences.
8. Protecting Institutions Means Letting Them Work
Ironically, Mr. Ekow Assafuah ends by urging us to “protect our institutions”. On this, we agree. But protection doesn’t mean shielding institutions from doing their work. It means insulating them from political manipulation – something his current tirade aims to do.
If Ekow Assafuah truly believes in institutional integrity, he would welcome the audit, not wage war against it.
Mr. Ekow Assafuah’s accusations of political cleansing fall flat when one considers the Auditor-General’s track record. Prof. Akuamoah Asiedu has demonstrated professionalism and impartiality in discharging his duties over the years. To accuse him of attempting to save his job through political expediency is not only disrespectful but also smacks of projection. It is precisely this kind of political interference and pressure that has eroded public trust in governance institutions.
What the public should be questioning is why a sitting Member of Parliament, sworn to uphold the national interest, would oppose an audit aimed at sanitizing our payroll – a system that, if left unchecked, drains millions from the national coffers annually. Is it fear of exposure? Or an attempt to shield former appointees and party loyalists who may have benefitted from irregular placements?
The Auditor-General’s job is to protect the public purse, not to massage the egos of former power holders whose legacy is tainted by mismanagement and bloated payrolls. If Mr. Assafuah has genuine concerns about fairness, he should start by accounting for the number of questionable appointments, backdoor recruitments and unqualified political loyalists absorbed into the public sector during his party’s administration.
Conclusion:
The Real Hypocrisy Lies with ‘Hon’. Assafuah
Ghanaians are struggling under economic pressure. Every cedi wasted on a ghost name is a cedi stolen from a school, a hospital, or a road project. This is not the time for selective outrage and political posturing. This is the time to support bold, corrective action.
Instead of casting aspersions on the Auditor-General, Mr. Ekow Assafuah should reflect on the failings of his own party’s (NPP) administration, which turned a blind eye to payroll fraud and undermined institutional accountability. That legacy is what the current audit seeks to correct – not to witch-hunt but to cleanse.
If Mr. Ekow Assafuah truly cares about Ghana, he would support this audit. Anything less is hypocrisy.
Let us be honest: Mr. Ekow Assafuah’s tirade is not about principles – it’s about self-preservation. The noise is an attempt to deflect from the potential exposure of rot created or condoned under his watch. His sudden concern for transparency is a classic case of the kettle calling the pot black.
The Auditor-General must be supported, not attacked. This audit must proceed without interference. And those who cry foul should first look in the mirror and ask themselves: What are we afraid will be uncovered?
Ghana deserves better.
Source: Nationaltyme.com
