Dr Oduro Osae, IAA Director-General, swears committee members into office
The Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), Dr Oduro Osae, has inaugurated the district audit committees in the Eastern Region to commence their two-year tenure of ensuring effective accountability and efficient use of state resources in their respective municipal and district assemblies.
The inauguration was carried out at Koforidua, the Eastern regional capital.
The audit committees were inaugurated to fulfil their responsibilities on them under Section 86 (1) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016, (Act 921), the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (L.I. 2378), the Public Procurement Act,2003 (Act 663) as amended, the guidelines for effective functioning of committees and other applicable laws.
The IAA Director General explained the importance of the committee in the governance of the district assemblies, and called for support from the Regional Minister, Municipal/District Chief Executives and other key stakeholders to ensure the effective execution of their mandates.
“The Audit Committee at the respective districts is expected to work together with management and all other stakeholders. The committee should be seen as partners in the development towards accomplishing efficient management of the public funds,” Dr Osae emphasised.
Necessary
The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, indicated that the inauguration of the audit committees was very necessary and timely, adding that “it would help to avert the current happenings at the Public Accounts Committee, where some institutions that appeared before it was referred to the Police for arrest and prosecution”.
Mr Kwame Acheampong queried why it had become an “annual ritual” for some assemblies and other public institutions to appear before the Public Accounts Committee, given the availability of the effective control measures put in place to avert the situation.
Consequently, he entreated members of the committees to be firm, resolute, sincere, independent and honest in the discharge of their duties.
“As public office holders, you have the responsibility to protect the public purse and be accountable to the people,” he added.
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