“I Don’t Condone Corruption”- PAC Chairman James Avedzi Refutes Corruption Allegations
Chairman of Ghana’s Parliament Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Dr. James Klutse Avedzi, has strongly refuted corruption allegations linked to his committee.
Rumours, reportedly referenced in a book by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure, claim that ministers and department heads have paid bribes to either expedite their hearings or receive favourable treatment regarding infractions flagged by the Auditor-General.
But in an interview with members of the parliamentary press corps on Tuesday, August 20, Dr. Avedzi dismissed these claims as baseless and unfounded.
“There have been allegations that people pay money to either meet with the committee quickly or to receive favourable treatment. Let me categorically state that these claims are completely false,” he asserted.
Dr. Avedzi explained that rescheduling appearances is a routine procedure, often due to legitimate requests from officials with conflicting commitments.
“When a minister or department head is scheduled to appear before the committee but has another critical engagement, they can request a reschedule. This is common practice, not only here but also within the African Organization of Public Accounts Committees (AFROPAC), where Ghana holds the vice-chair position,” he explained.
He also clarified that during hearings, some officials request to be heard first due to pressing obligations.
“For instance, today, the Ghana Police Service had urgent matters to attend to, so I scheduled them first. Once they were done, they were discharged. However, others like the Immigration Service and Fire Service were not discharged until their sessions were fully completed,” he said.
Expressing disappointment over the persistent rumours, Dr. Avedzi emphasized his commitment to fairness in his role.
“I’ve been a civil servant before, so I understand the challenges public officials face. I always strive to be fair in my assessments. If someone makes false claims during hearings, I can tell. But I have never taken money to be lenient,” he stressed.
While acknowledging the possibility of rumours involving other members of the committee, Dr. Avedzi categorically denied any personal involvement.
Addressing issues of accountability, Dr. Avedzi revealed that the PAC had submitted an annex to its report recommending agencies for prosecution by the Attorney General, but a communication lapse delayed action.
“The challenge we faced was that, despite making these referrals, Parliament wasn’t communicating them to the Attorney General’s Office. It wasn’t until 2021, when the Attorney General appeared before us, that we discovered they hadn’t received any of our referrals,” he disclosed.
Persistent follow-ups resolved the issue in 2024, with the Attorney General’s Office confirming receipt of the referrals.
“The Deputy Attorney General recently confirmed that they have now received the list of cases. They’ve formed a team to review the cases and initiate the necessary legal processes,” Dr. Avedzi stated.
He expressed optimism that swift action would follow, concluding, “We are hopeful that justice will be served in accordance with the law.”
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Source: By Felix Nyaaba // ExpressNewsGhana.com
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