Accra, Feb. 26, GNA - Government would not interfere with the work of the Auditor-General, and also provide the necessary resources and an enabling environment to operate efficiently to protect the public purse, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has assured.
“The Auditor-General can testify that since coming into office, Government has not interfered with his work, but I can assure you that, not only would we not interfere in your work, we will rather provide the right environment for the Auditor-General to do his job,” he stated.
He applauded the Board and Management of the Audit Service for declaring a war on corruption and working towards uprooting the Canker in the public sector.
Vice President Bawumia gave the assurance at the Eight Annual Accountability Lectures and Launching of the 2017 Audit Financial Year of the Ghana Audit Service, in Accra, on Monday.
The event was held on the theme: “Protecting the Public Purse: Our Commitment towards Ghana’s Development Agenda”.
It brought together Senior Auditors, Economists, Financial Analysts, Chief Directors of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and the Diplomatic community.
Vice President Bawumia said the Service was one of the institutions set up to ensure efficient public financial management, adding that, it was in line with the agenda of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government.
“We’re all aware of the recent events and commendable results of the Audit Service to protect the public purse.
“The Audit Service has declared a war on corruption. There are some who doubt that it would materialise, and I trust that, you will prove them wrong,” he advised.
The Vice President said government would be relentless in fighting corruption and lauded the Service for rejecting the payment of GHc5.4 billion public liability in the 2016 financial year.
He tasked the Auditor-General to collaborate with the Office of the Special Prosecutor to prosecute those involved in the “ghost claims”, in order to serve as a deterrent to others.
He commended the Service for starting the implementation of the Disallowance and Surcharge provision in the Audit Service Act, whereby public servants found culpable of stealing public funds were required to refund those monies to the national treasury.
Vice President Bawumia said as a nation, we were faced with numerous infrastructural challenges ranging from limited health, education and sanitation facilities, as well as lack of good roads, electricity, potable water and other social facilities, which required financial resources to provide them.
He noted that, those challenges required intensive revenue mobilisation, prudent utilisation of funds and stringent accountability to resolve them and improve the fortunes of the citizenry.
“We as a country, we have what it takes to generate sufficient revenue to provide jobs for our teeming tertiary graduates, and also build sound infrastructure for economic development,” he stated.
Therefore, he said, there was the need to ensure that, all tax and non-tax revenues collected were properly accounted for.
The Vice President said without blocking the revenue leakages in the public sector, all the revenues mobilised would go to waste, hence government’s decision to implement the Paperless Ports System, Digital Property Addressing System, National Identification System and e-licencing and registration at the various public institutions.
He said successful implementation of those programmes would halt those financial slippages in the public sector and enhance government’s revenue generation drive.
The Audit Service used the occasion to reward former Auditor-Generals for their meritorious service to the nation.
They included; Mr Osei Tutu Prempeh, who served as the Auditor-General (AG) from 1990 to the year 2000 and Professor Edward Dua Agyeman who also served as the A-G from 2001 to 2010.
GNA
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS