Audit Service recovers over GH¢18bn in public funds between 2022 and 2026 – Auditor-General

The Audit Service has recovered more than GH¢18 billion in public funds between 2022 and 2026 through its audit activities, Auditor-General Dr Pamela Graham has disclosed.

She further revealed that the Service helped save the country approximately GH¢11.7 billion in 2025 alone by identifying and preventing wrongful payments

Speaking at the African Organization of Public Accounts Committees Conference, Dr Graham emphasised the need for public institutions to implement corrective measures based on audit findings to strengthen accountability and ensure the prudent management of public resources.

She explained that audit reports should not merely identify financial irregularities after they occur but should also provide useful information to improve internal controls and guide government policy decisions.

“From 2022 to date, we have actually recovered over 18 billion Ghana cedis from the work of the Auditor-General. We have saved the country about 11.7 billion from wrongful payments only in 2025,” she said.

Dr Graham noted that financial audits should be viewed as strategic tools for preventing financial mismanagement rather than simply instruments for detecting irregularities that have already occurred.

“Financial statements or financial audits should not be viewed just as historic detective instruments, but be seen as providing strategic intelligence that helps future control implementations and policy formulations,” she added

She stressed that translating audit findings into policy and institutional reforms would strengthen governance, improve financial discipline and ensure that public funds are used for their intended purposes.