By Benjamin Akoto
Sunyani, May 02, GNA – Mr James Klutse Avedzi, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, has cautioned organisations and institutions against the abuse of the 30 days grace period to submit all documents to the Audit Service.
He explained that, under the Audit Service’s Act, 2000 (Act 584) an auditee who did not have all the documents available after being audited had a grace period of 30 days as provided by the law.
However, the Chairman indicated that, “this aspect of the law had been taken for granted because some organisations believed after the 30 days period had elapsed another opportunity would be given.
“We will surprise them, we will no longer accept documents again after the 30 days and go straight to implement what is in the law, but the officer in-charge have to pay for the expenditure,” he stated.
Mr Avedzi was sparking to the media in an interview at the close of the PAC’s Public Hearing for the Consideration of the 2020 Auditor-General’s Report in Sunyani.
He stressed within 30 days, if organisations/institutions were able to provide the documents to the satisfaction of the auditors, that would end the process.
But if a particular entity could not, the auditors would have no option than to cite it in their report to draw parliament’s attention to that failure for further action.
Mr Avedzi emphasised once the law had made provision for additional 30 days to provide all relevant documents but was not done, the officer responsible for that infraction would be surcharged to pay, albeit that transaction was done in the interest of the entity.
GNA