Revelations from recent sittings of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have renewed national concern over public sector accountability, but Professor David Millar says the focus should not be on politicians alone.
Speaking on A1 Radio’s Daybreak Upper East on Friday, April 3, 2026, the academic and policy expert described procurement irregularities as longstanding and deeply rooted within the technocratic system.
“It’s not new, and it’s not going to end unless the punitive measures are clear,” he said.
His comments follow disclosures at the PAC, where cases of payments for undelivered projects and questionable procurement decisions have dominated proceedings.
While public criticism has largely targeted political officeholders, Prof. Millar argued that many of the key actors operate behind the scenes.
“It is the technocrats,” he said. “We should get to a point where we name and shame. If we don’t name them, we will keep blaming the politician.”
According to him, newly appointed ministers, many of whom lack technical expertise in their sectors, are often guided—and sometimes misled—by career officials who understand the system.
“When you enter office as a politician for the first time, the technocrats will come and say, ‘Master, this one is possible. There’s money here that is not being used,’” he said.
He said this dynamic creates a loophole that allows experienced bureaucrats to manipulate processes while politicians bear the brunt of public criticism.
Prof. Millar described recent PAC proceedings as a turning point, praising what he called one of the most decisive sessions he has observed.
“This was one of the most impressive PAC sessions I’ve watched,” he said, referencing a case involving the procurement of vehicles for the Ministry of Defence.
He welcomed calls for the interdiction of a procurement director implicated in the matter, warning that failure to act decisively would allow such practices to persist across ministries.
“You move him to another ministry, and he repeats the same thing. That’s his trade—he’s a procurement director,” he said.
Prof. Millar argued that accountability should be directed at those who initiate, process, and approve transactions.
“Deal with the technocrats. Somebody signed, somebody approved, somebody processed it—and then you leave them and go after the politician,” he said.
Drawing on his experience with World Bank-funded projects, he highlighted the multiple layers of checks required in financial transactions, questioning how blame is often simplified in public discourse.
“For one cheque to be signed, you need about six signatures. So how do you say one person just took billions? There’s no one signature anywhere in the world that can release that kind of money,” he said.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Seidu Mutawakil | Bolgatanga
