The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has ordered the arrest of the Northern Regional Director of the National Sports Authority (NSA) for failing to deposit Ghc160,000 into the consolidated fund. The PAC, chaired by Hon. James Klutse Avedzi, is investigating the financial irregularities and mismanagement revealed by the 2022 Auditor General’s Report. The report accused the Northern Regional Sports Authority of violating the Public Financial Management Regulation of 2019, which requires all internally generated funds to be paid into the central treasury.
The PAC summoned the Minister of Sports, Hon. Mustapha Yusuf, the Director General of the NSA, the Accountant, and other officials of the NSA to appear before a public hearing on Wednesday, February 7, 2024. Hon. Avedzi expressed his dismay at the conduct of the Northern Regional Director and ordered his immediate arrest. He also demanded that the Regional Director and the Accountant provide an explanation for their breach of the financial regulations, or face further legal actions.
The PAC’s action shows its determination to hold public institutions accountable and to ensure the proper management of public funds. It also sends a strong signal that the PAC will not tolerate any corruption or misappropriation of funds within the sports sector, which has been plagued by scandals and controversies in recent years. The PAC’s investigation will continue as it seeks to uncover the extent of the financial malpractice and to recover the lost funds.