PAC Invites Two Public Officials Over GH¢8.2m Toilet Contracts

A GH¢8.2 million ‘Toilet-for-All’ contract scandal has erupted at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), after government officials admitted they could not produce key documents backing the transactions, claiming the records had been transferred to archives.

The disclosure has ignited sharp exchanges in Parliament, raising serious concerns about transparency, procurement breaches and potential financial exposure to the state.

Appearing before the Committee, Chief Accountant at the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Solomon Enchil, revealed that the amount relates to sanitation projects executed under the defunct Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources.

According to him, attempts to retrieve documentation covering payments and contract details were unsuccessful.

“We did our best to get the documentation, especially on payments, but we were told the records had been sent to archives, so we could not include them in our schedule,” he told the Committee.

The explanation triggered immediate pushback from the Ranking Member, Samuel Atta Mills, who questioned the rationale behind archiving relatively recent financial records.

“We are talking about 2024 documents and just two years later they are in archives? Is that how ministries operate? What are they hiding from the auditors?” he queried.

Minister distances current Ministry

The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, distanced his Ministry from the transactions, explaining that the contracts were initiated around 2019 under the erstwhile Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, during the tenure of former Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

He acknowledged, however, that the circumstances surrounding the contracts were deeply concerning, particularly, as mobilisation funds had reportedly been paid to contractors who failed to execute the works.

“The contractors were given mobilisation, went to site and monitoring revealed the work was not done. The intention was to abrogate and re-award the contracts, but the situation became complicated,” he explained.

The Minister disclosed that key officials who handled the procurement and financial processes are still in active public service and can be called upon to account for their roles.

He named Theophilus Okine, currently with the Ministry of Defence, and Bright Oduro Kwarteng, now Director of Finance at the Ministry of Trade and Agribusiness.

“Even if the documents are in archives, the officers are still available. This Committee can call them to explain,” he added.

Chair faults Minister over missing officers

Chairperson of the Committee, Abena Osei-Asare, criticised the Minister for failing to present the relevant officers at the hearing, despite prior directives.

“In our letter, we clearly indicated that persons connected to these infractions should be brought along. You could have made the work easier for the Committee today,” she stated.

The Minister conceded the concern, explaining that he opted not to compel the officers ahead of the hearing, but has since submitted their names to assist the Committee’s work.

The Committee expressed deep concern over reports that contractors received mobilisation funds but failed to execute the projects, raising questions about contract enforcement and financial oversight.

Ranking Member Atta Mills described the situation as troubling. “You pay mobilisation to contractors, they don’t do the work, and then you want to re-award the contracts. Meanwhile, the Ministry handling the claims has no documents. This is deeply worrying,” he said.

He directed the Clerk of the Committee to compile a full list of all officials and contractors involved, signalling the Committee’s intention to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.

Ministry insists no payments made without documentation

In response to concerns that payments may have been effected without proper documentation, the Minister clarified that the current Ministry of Local Government has not honoured any outstanding claims.

“There is no evidence to initiate payment. That is why no payment has been made,” he stressed. He explained that the claims were inherited from the defunct sanitation ministry, but without supporting documentation, the Ministry could not proceed.

“These were outstanding claims submitted to us, but there were no supporting documents. Without evidence, we cannot pay,” he added.

Information before the Committee indicates that the contracts covered the construction of hundreds of household toilets across the country, including the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and Tamale, as part of the government’s “Toilet-for-All” policy.

However, many of the contractors are said to have defaulted after receiving mobilisation funds, prompting the then ministry to consider abrogating and re-awarding the contracts – a process that was never completed following institutional changes.

Parliament summons key officials, Auditors

With the controversy deepening, Parliament has formally summoned key officials linked to the contracts to appear before the Committee.

Those invited include; Theophilus Okine and Bright Oduro Kwarteng, alongside current officials of the Ministry of Local Government and Auditors involved in the review of the accounts.

The Committee has directed that all individuals must appear with relevant documentation, including records reportedly transferred to the archives, to assist in ongoing investigations.

The next sitting is expected to bring together past and present officials, procurement officers and Auditors, in what is shaping up to be a decisive hearing.

With GH¢8.2 million at stake, missing records, and questions over failed contracts, the Public Accounts Committee is poised to determine whether the matter represents administrative lapses or a deeper breakdown in public financial management.

As Parliament tightens the net, all eyes will be on the upcoming hearings, where those involved will be required to account fully for their roles in the controversial sanitation contracts.

 

 

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