“Jakpa: CAGD, BoG Need Finance Minister’s Seal for LCs”

Richard Jakpa, the third accused in the ongoing ambulance case, has revealed his standard procedures for dealing with the Ghanaian government as a businessman.

According to Jakpa, communications typically originate from Secretaries of Chief Directors or Deputy Ministers, who forward letters to the office of the substantive Minister of Finance. Jakpa explained that upon receiving these communications, the substantive Secretary of the Minister of Finance would seek approval from the Minister.

Once approved, the Secretary would affix the authorization seal on the letter, after which the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) or the Bank of Ghana (BoG) could proceed with implementing the instructions contained in the letter.

Jakpa emphasized that this authorization seal, bearing the Minister of Finance’s approval, is crucial. Without this security measure, neither the CAGD nor the BoG would act on any directive to debit Ghana’s consolidated accounts, whether for local or international payments.

During his cross-examination on Thursday, June 13, Jakpa underscored that this stringent process is in place to safeguard Ghana’s financial integrity.

This process ensures that only the Finance Minister, with proper authorisation and oversight, can authorise debits from the country’s consolidated account for payments related to services rendered or work completed by any Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assembly (MMDA).

Jakpa’s testimony highlighted the importance of the authorization seal in preventing unauthorized transactions and ensuring accountability in government financial dealings. By emphasizing the rigor of this process, Jakpa sought to demonstrate his commitment to transparency and compliance in his business dealings with the government.