The Ghana Audit Service in its latest report has sighted the Finance Ministry for financial irregularities in a contract it awarded last year.
The Finance Ministry in February 2018 engaged Rhema Systems to develop a system that has the ability to track correspondence, documentations as well as overall workflow management processes.
However, the Auditor General in its latest report on Public Accounts of MDAs for the financial year ended December 31 2018, identified some avoidable irregularities with the engagement.
During the review of records at the Finance Ministry, the Auditor General noted that notwithstanding an existing infrastructure provided by NITA for management of documentations,the Ministry in February 2018 had engaged Rhema Systems to develop and implement a similar system at a contract sum of US$1,388,814.
Prior to Rhema Systems engagement, the Government of Ghana under its smart workspace project had engaged National Information Technology Agency (NITA) and ESolution to facilitate the corporate internet portal which has the ability to also track correspondence, documentation as well as overall workflow management processes.
The Auditor General in its report added that when officials of the Finance Ministry were contacted, they explained that the procurement was in relation to a ‘bespoke’ system to meet the specific needs of the Ministry.
The Auditor added that; “Though we did not sight evidence of a business case for this project to enable us ascertain the justification for the engagement of Rhema Systems, we are of the view that the engagement amounts to duplication as the Ministry could have leveraged on the existing infrastructure.
ALSO READ: How Finance Ministry paid a company $1 million for no work done
Also, as a recommendation, the Auditor General, warned the Ministry to make all available use of services from NITA before deciding on possible areas for outsourcing.”
