The Director General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), Dr. Eric Oduro Osae, has admonished audit committees of public health institutions to work at significantly reducing financial irregularities and enhance value for money.
According to him, the over GH¢1 billion financial irregularities recorded by health institutions as contained in the 2021 Auditor-General’s report is not only worrying but exposes the weakness of internal control systems.
In a speech read on his behalf by, Alhassan Fuseine, at the inauguration of health audit committees of health sector institutions in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, Dr. Osae, tasked the committees to improve internal structures and manage financial risks to lessen their negative impact on national development.
“The Audit Committee is a high-level corporate governance committee which contributes to the effectiveness of public accountability and the appropriate use of public resources in accordance with the Public Financial Management Act of 2016, (ACT 921)”.
Dr. Osae urged the committees to ensure that, the head of a covered entity prepares an annual report of the audit committee and submits such report and an annual statement of implementation status endorsed by the sector minister to the internal audit agency.
He added that the committee shall also provide advisory roles in the areas of financial management, risk management practices, internal control and governance processes, and compliance with laws, regulations, and policies.
Dr. Osae hinted that the IAA is working with the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) to improve accountability and control systems in the education and health sector institutions to improve access by women and the vulnerable.
“The IAA board has institutionalized a quarterly media briefing on the state of the control systems in public sector institutions from the 2nd quarter of 2023 to drum home the need for improved accountability”.
Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Emmanuel Dzotse, impressed on the newly inaugurated sub-audit health committee members and budget management centers to conduct regular meetings at addressing audit issues.
Dr. Dzotse, admonished key stakeholders in the health sector to in synergy with the audit committee members to achieve the desired goals of eliminating issues of financial irregularities in the sector.
