Acting Minister of Defence, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has charged members of the newly inaugurated Internal Audit Committee of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to safeguard public funds and ensure the Ministry does not appear in future Auditor-General’s reports for financial infractions.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony on Friday, Dr. Forson noted that recent nationwide audits had uncovered “avoidable and troubling” breaches in public financial management, warning that such lapses erode public confidence in state institutions and democratic governance.

The six-member committee is chaired by Joseph Frederick Odartey Blankson, former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana. Other members include Patrick Vug Nanke, Head of Internal Audit and Investigations at the Internal Audit Agency; Gloria Dami-Baah, a Chartered Accountant and seasoned Internal Auditor; Brigadier General Ben Gah, former Commander of the 15 Armoured Brigade; and Dominic Agyemang.

Dr. Forson cited a recent special audit he ordered, which reviewed GH¢18 billion worth of bank transfer advices. The audit—conducted jointly by the Auditor-General, SNY and PwC—resulted in 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 also referenced a procurement incident where documents had been validated and forwarded for payment even though no vehicle had been delivered. “Who signed the stores receipt voucher? Who validated it?” he queried, stressing that such lapses point to weak internal controls, not political interference.

Dr. Forson urged the committee to fortify the Ministry’s financial management systems and prevent any infractions originating from the MoD. “If any part of this country fails, not the Ministry of Defence,” he said. “This is where the line of integrity must be drawn.”

He further emphasised the Ministry’s responsibility to uphold the highest standards of transparency, especially after a difficult economic period during which many Ghanaians lost pensions and savings.

Committee Chairperson Odartey Blankson pledged that members would ensure prompt implementation of audit recommendations and strengthen internal controls. He condemned the practice of signing stores receipt vouchers without physically verifying items, calling it unacceptable. “Our responsibility is to ensure such things never happen. We must work proactively, not reactively,” he said.

Thomas Thompson Aryee, Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), noted that structural gaps in the national audit framework continue to weaken oversight. Internal auditors, he said, remain excluded from payment and procurement workflows, allowing transactions to occur without their knowledge.

Aryee highlighted low compliance with the recently introduced Commitment Control and Certification (CCC) system, with only 109 out of 647 institutions submitting third-quarter CCC reports. He appealed to the Acting Defence Minister to consider punitive measures to enforce compliance.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, the Internal Audit Agency, and other key stakeholders.