Accountant General issues new directives on payments

The Controller and Accountant General has issued new directives to re-enforce earlier ones that all treasury books be closed by January 9, 2009, in respect of the financial year ended December 2008.

A release by the Controller and Accountant General in Accra on Monday said this is a follow-up circular to re-enforce those guidelines and to provide further directives on commitments and payments by Ministries, Departments and Agencies as follows: Item One- Personnel Emolument should be paid at current approved levels.

Item Two and Three, Administration and Service Expenditure – these shall be committed and paid for to support overhead and operational expenditures within limits set in the approved Vote on Account. Item Four- Investment/Capital Expenditure, (a) No new Investment/Capital expenditure should be initiated; (b) Payments for on-going projects should be with prior approval from the Office of the President through the Chairman of the Finance and Economic Committee of the Transition Team. No contract variations are permitted.

The release said, (c) Other payments, these include legal obligations, judgement debts in respect of obligations as at 31st December 2008 only. Approval must be sought from the Office of the President through the Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Transition Team.

These directives shall continue in force until substantive Ministers have been appointed. The release said, it should be noted that the directives cover all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies as well and failure to comply with these directives will attract the appropriate sanctions.

Source: GNA