By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
Accra, Nov. 2, GNA – The Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has called on Public Accounts Committees (PACs) across Africa to strengthen oversight and hold duty bearers accountable for the prudent use of public funds, to promote good governance and sustainable development.
He made the call at the opening of the African Organisation of Public Accounts Committee’s (AFROPAC) Sixth Annual General Meeting and Conference in Accra on Monday.
The four-day conference, being attended by parliamentarians, auditors and governance experts from across the continent, is focused on strengthening public financial accountability and legislative oversight in Africa.
It is being held on the theme; “Oversight for Resilience: Strengthening Africa’s Public Accounts Committees Amid a Shifting Financial Landscape”.
Mr Bagbin said Africa was navigating turbulent economic conditions marked by mounting public debt, high capital costs, rising debt-servicing obligations and recurring geopolitical shocks that continued to constrain development choices.
“In this contested global environment, we must confront an inescapable truth: sustainable resilience cannot be gifted from abroad; it must be constructed from within,” he said.
He stressed that good governance and rigorous parliamentary oversight were critical to building that resilience, warning that public confidence in democratic institutions was undermined when public resources were misallocated, squandered or diverted.
“When public funds are misallocated, squandered or diverted, the social contract fractures and public confidence in democracy erodes.
“Our Public Accounts Committees bear a profound constitutional responsibility to safeguard the public purse and ensure every public resource delivers tangible benefits to citizens,” he stated.
The Speaker described AFROPAC as an important platform for advancing accountability and economic sovereignty on the continent.
He said effective scrutiny of public expenditure and implementation of audit recommendations not only promoted discipline in public financial management but also strengthened Africa’s position in advocating debt restructuring, debt cancellation and reparative justice.
“Our strength lies in mutual responsibility, Ubuntu, through Pan-African solidarity, and our legislatures must establish joint mechanisms to track illicit financial flows, scrutinise cross-border public investments and advocate fairer international financial arrangements,” he said.
Reflecting on the evolution of parliamentary anti-corruption efforts in Africa, Mr Bagbin recounted the challenges faced by oversight institutions in their early years.
“When you start looking deeper into people’s books and calling them to account, they see you as a threat. But we have made significant progress and there is greater appreciation today for the role of accountability institutions,” he said.
Mr Bagbin urged African countries to strengthen the independence of Auditors-General and Audit Service institutions by placing them under parliamentary authority rather than the Executive.
He said “Once they are appointees of the Executive, they owe their loyalty to the Executive. It is very difficult for you to audit yourself.”
The Speaker also advocated for stronger professional standards in public administration, arguing that the certification and professionalisation of accountants, directors and other public sector officials would help reduce recurring financial irregularities.
He encouraged PACs to work closely with the media to publicise the outcomes of accountability processes, including recoveries of public funds, sanctions, prosecutions and reforms arising from audit findings.
“The people must know the end results. It should not just be public hearings and reports. Citizens must see the impact of public accountability,” he said.
Mr Bagbin urged delegates to use the conference to exchange experiences and develop practical strategies to strengthen the independence and technical capacity of Public Accounts Committees.
He said Africa possessed abundant resources and should not remain poor because of weak governance, corruption and poor management of public finances.
“Africa is rich, but Africans are poor. We need to change our ways and ensure that public resources are used for the benefit of our people,” he said.
The Speaker reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to supporting accountability institutions and capacity-building initiatives aimed at enhancing transparency, combating corruption and promoting responsible stewardship of public resources across the continent.
He urged delegates to remain focused on their mandate and work collectively to safeguard Africa’s shared heritage through effective oversight and accountability mechanisms.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo
Reporter: Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Email: [email protected]