As part of its centenary anniversary celebration, the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) has held a one-day seminar in Accra to sensitise media practitioners on its activities ever since the establishment of GAS.
The seminar, which was the first of its kind, was also aimed at building rapport and establishing fruitful relationships with journalists and the Audit Service to ensure balanced report and circumspection in reporting matters of audit interest.
From (left-right), a view of the high table with MC for the seminar, Ms Monalisa Lotsu addressing the participants
The seminar brought together about 50 journalists who were schooled on the processes involved in preparing the Auditor-General’s annual reports that are usually presented to the Speaker of Parliament and used by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament for deliberations.
The event also served as an avenue for the media to be well informed and updated on the work of the Auditor-General in promoting transparency, good governance and accountability in the management of public accounts.
In his welcome address, Mr Enoch N. O. Dodoo, a Chartered Accountant, who stood in for the Chairman of the Audit Service Board, Mr John Klinogo, stated that the Audit Service saw it prudent to build a better working relationship with the media as a way of promoting good governance.
“This relationship between the two institutions has become crucial because the media provides or makes information available to all stakeholders and the information so provided can be used to measure the performance of those who have been given the mandate to run the affairs of the country,” indicated Mr Dodoo.
He underscored that the traditional role of the media is to be transparent and factual in its reportage since this helps in public accountability and transparency in national affairs.
“Each media report is aimed at a certain target group and the reportage has certain objective. At times the objective is not easily perceived or it is misconstrued. The love for exclusive news items or being the first with breaking news should therefore not be the sole consideration in news reports,” Mr Dodoo challenged.
He asserted that media accountability ensures that Parliament, the Executive, the Judiciary and the citizenry live up to their responsibilities and have the awareness that they can be called upon to account for their stewardship at any point in time.
“It is believed that through effective and efficient reportage the media in this country can partner the Audit Service and other governance institutions in calling for accountability from all people entrusted with management of public funds,” Mr Dodoo stressed.
For his part, Mr Augustine Boadu, deputy Auditor-General, advised journalists to refrain from publishing and reporting audit matters that were not yet completed by the Audit service.
“I would therefore like to advise you all to desist from the practice of publishing and reporting interim audit reports of public institutions since things may turn out to be different when the auditing processes are completed,” he urged.
He said journalists in their haste to publish the news first, resort to reporting interim audit reports of public institutions and government agencies when as a matter of fact that is not the final and completed report.
“When you do that, you will always end up misinforming the public because when the final and completed reports come out for assessments and the interim issues that you published did not even fall into the final draft, it is likely you will lose your credibility,” the deputy Auditor-General noted.
There were various presentations by all the departments of the GAS to keep participants abreast of their activities and the vital roles they play in the preparation of the Auditor-General’s annual reports.
Some of these departments included Commercial Audit Department, the Performance Audit Department, Educational Institutions and District Assemblies Audit Department, the Central Government Audit Department and PAC.
GAS was established in 1910 by the colonial government and was called the Audit Department.
It was headed by a director. In the 1950s, the name was changed to Auditor-General’s Department.
On 22nd August, 1969 the Constitution of the 2nd Republic converted the department into the Audit Service headed by an Auditor-General.
This was to increase the degree of independence of the service.
The 1992 Constitution (Article 187, 188, 189) and the Audit Service Act 2000, (Act 584) reaffirm provisions made in the 1969 Constitution.
The Audit Service exists to promote good governance in the areas of transparency, accountability and probity in the public financial management system of Ghana by auditing to recognized international auditing standards, the management of public resources and reporting to Parliament.
The vision of Audit Service is to be one of the leading supreme audit institutions in the world, delivering professional, excellent, and cost effective auditing services.
A seven-member body called Audit Service board governs the Audit Service.
The President in consultation with the Council of State appoints the chairman and four other members of the board.
The Auditor-General and the head of Civil Service or his representative are automatic members of the governing board.
GAS is a constitutional body under the direction of a-seven (7) member governing board.
The service is headed by the Auditor-General who is mandated to audit the public accounts of Ghana and all public offices including metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, public corporations and organisations established by an Act of Parliament and report the findings to Parliament.
Audit Service is therefore the monitoring and accountability organ of the state, and the supreme Audit Institution (SAI) of Ghana.
The 1969 Constitution made it an oversight body to promote good governance, ensure accountability and transparency in the public sector and Article 188 of the 1992 Constitution reaffirms this position.
Thus, Audit Service is the only institution mandated by the Constitution to monitor the use and management of all public funds and report to Parliament.
STORY: WILLIAM BEEKO