PIAC: Ayawaso West Petroleum Projects Verification Fails for GH¢21M

• The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) was unable to verify four petroleum-funded projects in Ayawaso West, totaling GH¢21 million.
• Inadequate information and vague project descriptions prevented PIAC from locating these projects during a field inspection assessing petroleum revenue use from 2012 to 2024.
• PIAC had requested crucial project details, including contractor information, from the Ministry of Roads and Highways three weeks prior but received no response.
• PIAC's Executive Secretary stated they cannot confirm the projects' non-existence, only that verification was impossible due to the missing data.
• Local officials in Ayawaso West called for better information sharing from central government on projects implemented in their areas to improve accountability and monitoring.

He underscored that having relevant data beforehand is critical for effective oversight and achieving desired results during such exercises.

The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) has been unable to verify four petroleum revenue-funded projects in the Ayawaso West Municipality, collectively valued at approximately GH¢21 million. This inability stemmed from insufficient documentation and vague project descriptions provided to the oversight body. The projects were part of a broader assessment by PIAC to evaluate the utilization of Ghana's petroleum revenues between 2012 and 2024.

During a field inspection, the unlocated projects included a GH¢3.35 million concrete drain in East Legon, emergency road rehabilitation works costing GH¢3.9 million (which encompassed upgrades to Spintex Road and other roads and culverts in the East Legon area), the resealing of selected roads in Ayawaso West and Ga Central valued at GH¢1.5 million, and the GH¢12 million Boundary Road and Motorway Slip Road projects. These unverified initiatives were attributed to the Ministry of Works and Housing and the Ministry of Roads and Highways as the responsible implementing agencies.

In contrast, the inspection team, led by PIAC member Nana Soglo Alloh IV, successfully identified several other projects with assistance from local assembly officials. These verified projects included the surfacing of Mega Link Road at Mempeasem, costing GH¢178,170.13; the construction of a 0.45-meter U-drain along Nii Sai Road, valued at GH¢130,114.85; and the surfacing of Nii Sai Road, priced at GH¢131,923.65, all implemented by the Minister of State for Special Initiatives. Additionally, a Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound in Mempeasem, which received GH¢657,395.99 in 2020 under the Ministry of Health, was also located.

Mr. Isaac Dwamena, PIAC's Executive Secretary, disclosed that the Committee had formally requested crucial details, such as the names and contact information of contractors, from the Ministry of Roads and Highways three weeks prior to the scheduled inspection. However, no response was received by the time the field visit was conducted, significantly impeding the verification process.

Mr. Dwamena clarified that PIAC cannot definitively state that the projects do not exist. Instead, he emphasized that the necessary information to locate and verify them was simply not provided by the Ministry of Roads and Highways. He underscored that having relevant data beforehand is critical for effective oversight and achieving desired results during such exercises.

Addressing the systemic issue, Mr. Gordon Domayele, the Municipal Coordinating Director of the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly, highlighted the critical need for improved information sharing regarding centrally implemented projects. He stressed that better communication is essential for enhancing monitoring and accountability, advocating for greater involvement of local assemblies in projects undertaken within their jurisdictions. Mr. Domayele noted that local officials are often unfairly blamed for a lack of knowledge regarding national projects.

The inspection in Ayawaso West forms a vital part of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee's broader mandate. This mandate includes systematically collecting data from various stakeholder institutions and conducting physical site visits to projects that receive funding from Ghana's petroleum revenues. These activities are designed to rigorously assess the value for money achieved in these projects and to foster greater transparency and accountability in the overall management of Ghana petroleum revenue.

Lawyers advising on public procurement, government contracts, or compliance for entities involved in public works in Ghana should note the systemic transparency and information-sharing failures highlighted by PIAC. This indicates increased due diligence requirements and potential risks for project verification and accountability in petroleum-funded initiatives, necessitating robust record-keeping and proactive information disclosure strategies for clients.

Source: Original reporting via GNA