‘PAC Needs More Powers’

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Wednesday, 28 November 2007

The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, Samuel Sallas-Mensah, has suggested to Parliament to amend its Standing Orders to allow the committee to institute independent investigations into information from whistle-blowers.

Speaking at a seminar by the Ghana Audit Service for its stakeholders in Accra yesterday, Mr Sallas-Mensah said that such a move would "make the committee proactive."

He explained that although the committee could examine any matters outside the Auditor General’s report, it could do so only when the matter had been referred to it by the Speaker of Parliament.

"The caveat, however, is that the matter must be referred to it by the House, the committee cannot investigate any matter suo motto," (on its own),he pointed out.

The seminar was funded by the European Commission and was aimed at brainstorming on how to improve public sector financial management and make public officers more accountable for public funds.

Mr. Sallas-Mensah said the committee has over the years, endeavoured to be objective in its deliberations while it tried to "walk the fine-line of transparency" and at the same time, strive to protect the reputation and integrity of public officials.

He said the first-ever public sitting of the committee was aimed at injecting a level of transparency into its work and bring proceedings closer to the electorate and gauge the confidence and support of the public.

"The impact was impressive and this marks significant steps in the development of our democracy," he said.

The Chairman urged the auditors of the Audit Service to be diligent and meticulous in their work and properly maintain their audit working papers since they could be recalled in any judicial process.

He also called for a review of the system of appointment of the position of Auditor General in order to strengthen its independence and make it more responsible to parliament.

He said that the Auditor General should be nominated by the President, in consultation with the Council of State and the Public Services Commission for approval by Parliament as is the case with the appointments of the Justices of the Supreme Court.

He called for collaboration between all stakeholders in public financial management to maintain an effective accountability process.

For his part, a Research Fellow of the Centre for Policy Analysis, Dr.Nii-Noi Ashong, called for sound constitutional arrangements based on the principles of accountability, good governance and independent public auditing so as to sustain and uphold the highest audit standards.

He said the Auditor General must assist Parliament to ensure proper use of public resources by auditing the government and its institutions which receive public funding.

He noted that the provision of fair and impartial audit reports and information to Parliament and the presence of the Auditor General during the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) deliberations on the audited accounts of the country are important measures necessary to assure tax payers that there exists an investigative body on behalf of Parliament.

"Well organised and independent audit systems contribute to a better and more transparent control of the activities of the public sector institutions, thus contributing to their economic efficiency and effectiveness," Dr Ashong stressed.

For accountability to thrive, he said there must be effective monitoring and tracking of public expenditure by the Auditor General, adding that could be achieved through the political will to adequately resource the Auditor General to enable him to hire and maintain properly trained staff and professionals.