Mr Seth Kwame Acheampong, Eastern Regional Minister
Government on Tuesday cut sod at Koforidua-Effiduase, municipal capital of New Juaben North, to officially signal the commencement of the construction of all 16 district offices and three regional office accommodation for the Ghana Audit Service across the country.
Ghana Audit Service currently has 12 regional and 68 district offices, most of which are in temporary structures, rented or client premises, hence compromising the independence of the auditors and affecting productivity.
The project, which cost 13 million Euros, is being funded by a loan facility sourced from the German government, and it has a construction period of nine months for the 16 district offices and 12 months for the three regional offices.
Speaking on behalf of Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, highlighted the crucial role that Ghana Audit Service plays in ensuring accountability, value for money and judicious use of public funds and resources in enhancing the fight against corruption in the country.
Commitment/ appreciation
Mr Acheampong reiterated government’s commitment to retooling and providing infrastructure for state institutions in the health, education, local governance and other sectors of the economy to enable them deliver on their mandate effectively and efficiently.
He thanked the German government and other development partners for the support in the implementation of the project, and hoped that the spirit of cooperation would be sustained for the mutual benefit of all the parties.
“The District Assemblies must ensure compliance with various guidelines and laws such as the Public Procurement Act, Public Financial Management Act in the utilisation of public funds in order to avoid being cited for infractions in the Auditor-General’s Report,” he cautioned.
The Regional Minister encouraged all government institutions to support the Ghana Audit Service to enable its staff deliver on its statutory mandate.
The Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, thanked President Akufo-Addo and the German Government for assisting the Service to get a befitting office accommodation.
“It was not acceptable for the Ghana Audit Service to be accommodated by the very institutions that the constitution has mandated them to audit, adding that the construction office accommodation when completed would help keep officials from any improper influence that undermined the duty placed on them”.
Plans/funds
Mr Akuamoah Asiedu disclosed that plans were far advanced for the second phase of the project that will include others to be constructed in the six newly created regions in the country.
In related development, Mr Anndt Wiehierm, Country Director for KfW, a German Development Bank, said funds for the first phase of the project is a 13 million Euros loan agreement between government of Ghana and German government. He added that the project, when completed, would resolve the problem of inadequate office and staff accommodations for Ghana Audit Service.
The consultant for the project, HYDROPLAN, Germany lead consulting firm, in association with POLITECNICA and Project Plus Consult (PPC) of Ghana, assured government and the general public that the project would be completed on scheduled without compromising on the quality.
Present at the event included the Board Chairman of Audit Services, Prof. Duah Agyeman; the Auditor General, Mr. Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu; the Chief Director of ERCC, Samuel Donkor and the Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben North Municipality, Comfort Asante.
The rest were the Chief of Effiduase, Okoawia Dwomo Baabu II, security heads in the region and heads of Departments and Agencies
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