The World Bank has reiterated its commitment to strict accountability by vowing to recover any misappropriated funds from the Ghanaian government.
Robert Taliercio O’Brien, the World Bank Country Director in Ghana, emphasized that the government will be held responsible for reimbursing any funds misused.
In an interview with Joy News, O’Brien stated, “If we find that there is a misuse of funds, we will ask for the funds to be reimbursed to us. That’s an issue for the government to work through.”
He highlighted that while the World Bank does not impose sanctions on governments, it does take action against private firms involved in misappropriation.
O’Brien acknowledged that corruption is a global issue, not unique to Ghana, and reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to strengthening systems to prevent such occurrences. “We’re focusing on how to strengthen the systems,” he said.
Background:
In April 2020, the World Bank provided Ghana with $100 million to support COVID-19 response efforts, including $35 million in emergency assistance through the Ghana Emergency Preparedness and Response Project (EPRP).
However, an auditor-general’s report later identified irregularities in the management of some COVID-19 funds, though the government was cleared of wrongdoing concerning the World Bank funds.
In June 2023, Frank Pierre Laporte, the then-World Bank Country Director in Ghana, confirmed that the $430 million provided by the Bank for Ghana’s pandemic response was used appropriately, adhering to procurement requirements and undergoing a thorough audit.
He also mentioned that the Bank is developing a future financing plan to address potential risks.
