By Iddi Yire
Accra, May 08, GNA – The Internal Audit Authority (IAA) in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has scheduled the mass inauguration of the Audit Committees of the Health Sector Institutions under the GHS for Tuesday, May 9, 2023.
A statement signed by Dr Eric Oduro Osae, the Director-General of the IAA and copied to the Ghana News Agency said Sections 86-88 of the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921) require Covered Entities including Health Sector Institutions to have Audit Committees to enable them implement sound control systems in the use of public funds.
It said, however, that it had come to the attention of the IAA that most Health Sector Institutions were operating without Functional Audit Committees.
The IAA is established under the Internal Audit Agency Act, 2003 (Act 658), and is mandated under the Guidelines for Effective Functioning of Audit Committees (2023) to ensure that Covered Entities have functioning Audit Committees.
It said considering the important corruption prevention role of Audit Committees, established under Sections 86-88 of the PFM Act 2016 (Act 921), operating without a functional Audit Committee violates the financial management laws of Ghana.
The statement said the public was hereby informed that the IAA would on 9th May in collaboration with the GHS undertake a mass inauguration of newly reconstituted Audit Committees for all Health Sector Institutions as per the attached schedule.
It said the Regional Health Directors and Internal Auditors were directed to support the process for improved Financial Governance of the Health Sector Institutions.
The statement reiterated that it must be noted that it was an offence under Section 98(1) (d) of the PFM Act 2016 (Act 921) for Health Sector Institutions to operate without properly constituted Audit Committees.
It said the IAA entreats all and sundry especially Internal Auditors to support the inauguration process for improved financial governance and internal control systems of Health Sector Institutions.
According to the statement, the mass inauguration of the Audit Committees of the Health Sector Institutions under the GHS would take place at the designated regional centres across the country as follows: For the Greater Accra Region, it would take place at Miklin Hotel East Legon, Accra, while that of the Upper East and North East Regions would be held at the J.K. Awoonor Williams in Service Training and Conference Centre, Bolgatanga.
It said that of the Upper West Region would take place at the SEM-B Hotel in Wa, whereas that of the Northern and Savannah Regions was scheduled to take place at the Tamale Metro Assembly in Tamale
It said the one for the Volta Region would take place at the Regional Health Directorate Training Centre in Ho, whilst that of Western and Western North Regions would take place at Akroma Plaza in Takoradi.
It noted that for Ahafo, Bono and Bono East Regions, it would be held at the In-Service Training Centre near the Bono Regional Hospital, Sunyani whereas that of Ashanti Region would take place at TUC Hall in Kumasi.
The statement said the Central Region’s programme would be held at the Regional Health Directorate Auditorium Complex in Cape Coast while that of the Eastern Region would be held at the Ascension Hall in Koforidua.
The inauguration of the Audit Committees for Health Sector Institutions under the GHS in the Oti Region has already been done.
GNA