AUDITOR-GENERAL VERSUS ACCOUNTANT-GENERAL

THE AUDITOR-GENERAL, Mr. Osei-Tutu Prempeh, has lashed at the Controller and Accountant-General, saying it was clear intellectual dishonesty for the latter to described the Auditor-General's report on Public Accounts as "misleading, ambiguous, unfair and clouded among others."

Speaking at the Annual Conference of Directorate and District Auditors last Thursday, the Auditor-General debunked the several criticisms on the Accountant-General and described it as an attempt to ridicule the Audit Service. Mr. Prempeh intimated that the criticisms levered against his outfit were not new and added that the mode of dissemination of such criticism, that is through the media was in bad taste and cautioned that in administrative practice, "it is unacceptable for organisations in the same public service to use the press as a medium for the exchange of correspondence". He stated that in spite of the repeated criticisms which he noted, were totally unfounded, the Audit Service, in the interest of the nation has continued to forge improved relation with the Controller and Accountant General's Department.

Touching on the suggestions made by the Accountant-General said it was ironic for the Accountant-General to ask for the information of a high-powered committee to look into the issues the report has raised. "If the report is misleading, ambiguous, unfair and clouded as claimed by the Controller and Accountant-General, why should he call for such a high-powered committee to deal with a report which in his eyes has no value", the statement queried. That call, the address continues, is an indictment on the Accountant-General's criticisms since it goes to impress on all that there are significant issues in the report of the Auditor-General worth more that the "misleading, clouded ambiguous and unfair" tag.

Mr. Prempeh stated that apart from mapping out systems that will encourage the evaluation of procedures the projects, the Audit Service will ensure that public moneys are spent with due regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness.