A chartered accountant has petitioned Parliament over an unexplained withdrawal of GH¢52.5 billion from the government’s bank account in 2020.

The petitioner, Mike Kofi Afflu of Koforidua in a letter dated August 11, 2023 and addressed to the Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee said the public was still waiting to hear the response on “the mysterious transfer of a huge amount of money from the government’s account in 2020.

According to him, the Audit Service started tracing the strange transaction but suddenly stopped midway without an explanation.

James Klutse Avedzi, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and Member of Parliament for Ketu North, has confirmed to Graphic Online’s Parliamentary correspondent, Nana Konadu Agyeman that he has received the petition.

Dear Sir,
PETITION FOR INVESTIGATION INTO THE AMOUNT OF GH¢52.5 BILLION TRANSFER FROM GCB BANK PLC.

I am writing this petition as a Citizen of Ghana.

In a letter dated 5th October, 2020 from the Audit Service to the Managing Director of GCB Bank Plc., the Auditor – General, demanded the Bank to explain why an amount of GH¢52.5 billion was transferred from the Bank into an Unknown Account.

Since then, the Auditor-General has not provided any explanation to the Ghanaian Taxpayer to explain:

1. Where the money was transferred to
2. Who authorized that amount to be transferred by the bank?
3. Into what account was the money transferred
4. Details of the recipient account and any related issues

Mr. Chairman, the USD /GHS average rate for October 2020 was 5.77522.
The amount of GH¢52.5 million was therefore equivalent to US$9,090,783

Mr. Chairman, if this GH¢52.5 billion (from GRA Account) had been transferred to the Bank of Ghana as mandated by Law, Ghana would not have gone to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the bailout of $3 billion.

I am therefore requesting the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament of which you are the Chairman, to invite the Auditor-General of Ghana to provide the necessary explanation to your committee and Ghanaians as a whole.

We want to know who withdrew that amount of money from the GCB Bank Plc and for what.

I am confident that your Committee will do a thorough job on this Petition please.
Thank you.

Source: GraphicOnline