Asantehene: Auditors Should Expose Corrupt Officials

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged auditors to be more diligent and uncompromising in the protection of the public purse. He said they should do everything to ensure that funds meant for development projects were not diverted by public officials to enrich themselves.�You should help to expose corrupt officers in the ministries and district assemblies, who have been cheating the people they are supposed to serve and depriving them of projects that would otherwise enhance their living conditions.� A press release signed by Mr G.B. Osei Antwi, Media Relations Manager at the Manhyia Palace, said the Asantehene made the call when the new Ashanti Regional Auditor, Mr Emmanuel K. Simpson, paid a courtesy call on him at his Palace in Kumasi. Otumfuo Osei Tutu said under no circumstance should they close their eyes to fraudulent deals, adding, �You should check accountants from spending monies on non-existing projects.� He asked that they paid particular attention to the use of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) to make sure that these helped to bring progress to the people. He said he was in no doubt that if the auditors performed their assigned job well the rural population would see significant development. The people deserve benefits from the taxes they pay, he added. Mr Simpson pledged to work hard to prevent stealing of state funds.