The President of the Republic of Ghana was scheduled to visit one of the Municipal Assemblies in the Western Region. Three days to the President’s visit, Mr. Mensah, the Municipal Finance Officer (MFO), was directed by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) via the telephone to issue a cheque amounting to GHC400,000.00 to a contractor who has started fixing some portions of the roads in the Municipality ahead of the President’s visits. There was no contract to this effect, let alone work certificate and approved payment voucher. The Municipal Coordinating Director (MCD) did not know about this, and he has just been informed by the MFO about the MCE’s directive.

Required: As the MCD and based on your knowledge of PFM, budgeting and public procurement, what will you do in such a situation?