The Auditor-General has launched an investigation into a case of missing contraceptives valued at GH¢1.34 million. The contraceptives, which included three million male condoms and 120,000 vials of Depo-Provera, were supposed to be delivered to the Regional Medical Stores in the Eastern Region on August 22, 2022.
However, the driver, Joe Gyaten, failed to deliver the items, and they remained unaccounted for. The Auditor-General’s investigation revealed that Mr. Gyaten had not been able to account for the items, prompting a probe into the matter.
The investigation discovered that the items were never received at the Regional Medical Stores, and their whereabouts remained unknown. This raised suspicions of misappropriation or mismanagement of public resources.
The Auditor-General directed the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health to ensure that the Head of the Temporary Central Medical Stores recovered the amount of GH¢1.34 million from the delivery officer, Mr. Gyaten.
The report recommended that the recovered funds should be paid into the Auditor-General’s Recoveries Account at the Bank of Ghana. Failure to comply would result in the Chief Director and the Head of the Temporary Central Medical Stores being held personally liable for the debt.
The Ministry of Health responded that it had referred the matter to the Health Intelligence Unit for further investigation. The Health Intelligence Unit is working closely with the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service to investigate the issue.
The Auditor-General’s report uncovered more than GH¢2.41 billion financial irregularities in 2023, with stores and procurement irregularities amounting to GH¢2.06 million. The missing contraceptives accounted for GH¢1.34 million of these irregularities.
Tax irregularities formed 89.6% (GH¢2.16 billion) of the total financial infractions reported, while cash irregularities totaled GH¢88.41 million, representing 3.7% of the total irregularities.
The Auditor-General’s investigation was conducted through the Temporary Central Medical Stores Requisition and Issue Voucher No. MOH/GHS 308088, dated August 22, 2022. The investigation revealed a potential case of misappropriation or mismanagement of public resources.
The case highlights the need for accountability and transparency in the management of public resources. The Auditor-General’s efforts to recover the funds and hold officials accountable demonstrate a commitment to ensuring that public resources are used for their intended purposes.
