•The report states that GH¢387,196 was applied
•The funds were spent on the AFRIMA and Kundum Festivals in 2018
The Auditor General’s report for the year 2020 has led to the discovery that GH¢387,196 meant for the Marine Drive project was misapplied by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture under the tutelage of Catherin Afeku.
Excerpts of the report sighted by GhanaWeb indicate that Catherine Afeku and her cohorts at the ministry misappropriated some funds.
The funds according to the report were spent on the celebration of the AFRIMA and Kundum festivals.
“In contravention of Section 7 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), we noted that funds meant for the Marine Drive project amounting to GH¢387,196.00 were misapplied for the celebration of AFRIMA, Kundum Festival, and other activities,” the report states.
The report further disclosed that Catherine Afeku’s three-day trip to the Volta Region from June 15 to June 18, 2018, cost the Ghanaian taxpayer GH¢73,000.
Ghana also has spent another GH¢13,296.00 on Catherine Afeku when she travelled to the Western Region on an official assignment.
A committee for the procurement of vehicles for the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture on May 3 cost the country GH¢900.
GH¢100,000 was also issued to Palm Media Ghana Limited for the launch of the 2018 AFRIMA which the country hosted. The Kundum Festival which is for the Nzema and Ahanta people also had the ministry dolling out GH¢200,000.
In its recommendation, the Auditor General charged the Chief Director of the Ministry to initiate steps to retrieve the monies.
A further call was also made on Chief Director to ensure that some state-owned vehicles which are in the possession of some former staff of the ministry are returned.
“In contravention of Section 52 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), we noted from our inspection of the Ministry’s vehicles that five official vehicles were in the possession of three former officials who separated from the Ministry through reassignment and terminations.
Former Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Catherin Afeku