A Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam has described the current structure of the Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) as weak.
Dr. Amin said PIAC has been unable to enforce recommendations of its own findings.
This description is in reaction to comments by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) suggesting that establishment of the committee was part of the efforts of the erstwhile NDC government to ensure increased accountability in the petroleum sector.
At a press briefing held on Friday, Dr. Amin said government is considering a Bill to widen roles of PIAC beyond presenting annual and semi-annual reports.
“They [the NDC] created PIAC, but a weak PIAC. As a committee, it did not have teeth to bite as they were merely required to produce semi-annual and annual reports whose adverse findings cannot be enforced. PIAC cannot summon officials. PIAC cannot prosecute. That is the PIAC we are gaining credit for. The NPP government is currently holding consultations with stakeholders on a new Bill which is going to empower PIAC to enforce its findings,” he said.
PIAC and its recent findings
The Public Interest and Accountability Committee is an independent statutory body mandated to promote transparency and accountability in the management of petroleum revenues in Ghana.
However, its most recent report was about education; the Free Senior High School policy implemented by the NPP government.
PIAC in its 2018 and 2019 monitoring report noted that about GHS680 million was allocated for the programme in 2019, as against GHS 415 million in 2018.
Observations made by the Committee suggest that some key issues are hampering the effective implementation of the policy as well as affecting the quality education being provided at the second cycle level.
The report observed that though the policy directly resulted in improved enrolment and feeding of students, supply of textbooks, uniforms and jerseys, and the early reporting of students to school; a lack of, or inadequate infrastructure, an over-burdened critical teaching staff, a dumping of poor-grade students particularly in deprived schools, as well as delays in releasing funding, were threats to the Free SHS program.