The Ghana Export-Import Bank has rubbished media reports that an amount of GHc33 million went missing in its account following an audit carried out at the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) by the Auditor General Department.
In a statement to respond to a media publication made by the Herald Newspaper, the Bank said the reportage was of a “fallacious nature” to drag the name of its Chief Executive Officer into the mud.
The Herald Newspaper reported that GEPA received a total of GHS32,949,957.57 from Ghana EXIM Bank as its 10% share of its share of the 0.75% Import Levy” and that GEPA was not provided with any evidence such as transactions report or funds release advise from the Ghana EXIM Bank or the Controller General of the Ghana Revenue Authority.
But the Bank questioned the veracity of such claims stating that how could monies transferred from the account of Ghana Exim Bank and duly receipted by Ghana Export Promotion Authority be classified as missing monies.
It further explained that the newspaper clearly misrepresented facts in its publication although it conducts its operations under the public Financial Management Act 20016,(Act 921) and its Finance and Accounting Manual which enjoins it to prudently protect and use of public funds;
“Management deems the publication as malicious, mischievous and misleading and has no factual basis and it is only intended to bring the hard won reputation of our Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lawrence Agyisam and the Bank into disrepute.”
“No GHS 33 Million is or has been missing from the accounts of the GHANA EXIM BANK between the stated period of the said audit carried out at the Ghana Export Promotion Authority by the Auditor General Department,” portions of the statement added.
The Bank further said that, it has substantial evidence to counter the claims of the publication and is every prepared to present it as proof to make its case stronger.
“In view of the obvious interest that your paper seemed to have shown in the Audit Report, and your subsequent wide publication of it, management would have expected that such a responsible media house could have cross-checked with the Bank to verify the veracity or otherwise of the Report before going to GHANA EXPORT-IMPORT BANK (GEXIM) the Press but unfortunately, this basic ethic of the journalistic profession was not adhered to.”
“The Bank has documentary evidence of the said transaction and is ready to submit same for authentication and verification by any State Regulatory Institution mandated to do so.”