The Auditor-General’s report has recommended that private medical facility, Christleads & Specialist Hospital, to which medical equipment was supplied while it was not a COVID-19 isolation centre be made to pay for the cost of the equipment.

The Report on the Audit on government’s COVID-19 expenditure for the period of March 2020 to June 2022 also recommended an investigation into the allocation of the medical equipment to the private hospital owned by Dr C. K. Amenuveve. 

The equipment delivered to the private facility is valued at USD110,088.00 and GHS27,895.00.

The A-G’s report cited Section 96 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), which states that “a person connected with the procurement or control of government stores, who is responsible for any deficiency in or for the loss, damage or destruction of any public funds, stamp, security, stores or any other government property, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment or a fine.”

It noted that: “Medical equipment valued at USD 110,088.00 and GHS27,895.00 were issued to a private hospital by name Christleads & Specialist Hospital belonging to Dr C. K. Amenuveve in Madina which did not serve as a COVID-19 isolation centre or did not receive any COVID-19 patient.

“Management could not offer any reason for the infraction.”

According to the report, “the items that could have been utilised in the public health delivery system could be lost if not recovered immediately.”

It, therefore, recommended “that the Chief Director should immediately investigate the allocation to Christleads & Specialist Hospital and report accordingly.” 

It added: “Dr C. K. Amenuveve should be made to pay for the equipment at the current cost, failing which the amount should be recovered from the Chief Director.”