GACC, Audit Service Train Journalists on 2024 Auditor-General’s Report
The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), in collaboration with the Ghana Audit Service, has organised a two-day capacity-building workshop for journalists on the 2024 Auditor-General’s Report.
The training, held from Thursday, August 21 to Friday, August 22, 2025, at the True Vine Hotel in Kumasi, sought to deepen media practitioners’ understanding of the Auditor-General’s findings and recommendations while equipping them with investigative reporting skills.
The initiative forms part of a project titled “Building Evidence for Increased Accountability in Ghana through a Multistakeholder Accountability Initiative”, funded by the Hewlett Foundation.
Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Fredrick Lokko, Assistant Director of Audit and Information Officer at the Ghana Audit Service, explained that the training was necessitated by recurring misinterpretations of the Auditor-General’s report in the media.
According to him, many reports tend to portray financial irregularities as misappropriation of funds, leading to public misconceptions.
“When we talk about irregularities, it does not always mean funds have been stolen. For instance, an institution spending beyond its approved budget is classified as a cash irregularity. Unfortunately, when such reports are published, the perception is that all quoted figures represent money lost,” he clarified.
Mr. Lokko noted that the workshop was designed to close this “expectation gap” by creating a platform for the Audit Service to engage directly with the media. He emphasized that accurate reportage would not only ensure fairness to institutions cited in the reports but also strengthen public trust and accountability.
He further stressed that responsible media coverage of audit findings exerts pressure on state institutions to act on recommendations.
Other facilitators at the workshop included Patrick Neequaye, Assistant Auditor-General in charge of the Information Systems Audit Unit, who presented on the mandate of the Auditor-General and the structure of the Audit Service. Investigative journalist Stephen Nartey of Joy News also led sessions on using the Auditor-General’s report for accountability journalism, documentary production, and identifying investigative leads.
On her part, Pamela Laourou, Assistant Communications Officer at GACC, highlighted the importance of the training in Ghana’s anti-corruption fight.
“The Auditor-General’s report reveals how public resources are managed, highlighting irregularities and accountability gaps. Equipping journalists with the skills to analyse and report effectively makes the media a powerful watchdog for transparency and good governance,” she said.
Participants were drawn from the Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, and Western North regions. The training, conducted in three zones nationwide, has so far benefited about 90 journalists across all 16 regions of Ghana.
