Regional, Municipal and District Audit Committees inaugurated in Oti Region

A four-member Regional International Standard for Professional Practice of Internal Audit Committee (ISPPIA) for each of the nine Municipal and District Assemblies in the Oti Region has been inaugurated at Dambai.The Audit Committees, which have mandatory, advisory and supporting roles would provide an assessment of scarce public resources that were responsibly and effectively managed by public Institutions in the region.DSP (Rtd) Daniel Machator, the Oti Regional Minister Designate, who addressed them, stated that the inauguration was timely because it would help to avert the current happenings at the Public Account Committee (PAC), where some institutions that appeared before it were referred to the Police for arrests and possible prosecution.He expressed worry over situations where some Assemblies and public Institutions consistently appeared before the PAC when they could put in control measures to avert such situations.Mr. Machator said that the MDAs have weak Internal controls and poor risk man agement practices, and grossly violate the laws to suit their whims and caprices.He explained that audit committees established in the various Assemblies as required by the Public Financial Management Act, Act 2016(Act 921), should help and support the Assemblies to strengthen transparency and accountability in the Assemblies and in the service.'There is no doubt that from today you are being assigned huge responsibilities to pursue the implementation of recommendations of audit reports of your respective assemblies,' he said.He charged the committees to equip themselves with relevant laws and bring their professional knowledge to bear on the work of the committee to enable them to contribute to the timely delivery of assigned functions.He again charged them to uphold a high sense of confidentiality and be firm, resolute, sincere, independent and honest in the discharge of their duties.Mr Machator said as public officers, it was their responsibility to protect the public purse and be accountable to the people.Source: Ghana News Agency