Five-member Audit Committee inaugurated for Bono East Region

A five-member Audit Committee for the Bono East Region has been inaugurated at Techiman in the region with the responsibility to serve as an anti-corruption body in protecting the national purse.

The body would be further responsible for addressing internal and external audit issues concerning the financial administration of the region and the country at large to create and improve the livelihood conditions of the people.

Mr Nathan Kenneth Ekow Yankey, the Acting Director of Operations of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) who led them to swear the three on national oaths of office, allegiance and secrecy emphasised the need for strong teamwork to prevent the incidence of corruption in the region and the country.

Speaking on behalf of Dr Eric Oduro Osae, the Director-General at the IAA, Mr Yankey said the establishment of the Committee was under the Public Financial Management Act 2016, Act 921 to promote financial management best practices.

Members are required to serve for a period of two years but subject to reappointment.

He said the Public Financial Management (PFM) systems were key to transparent and accountable governance, indicating that a country without an effective public financial management system risked under-development due to unjustifiable loss of public funds.

Mr Yankey explained the Committee under the PFM was a high-level corporate governance committee which adds to the effectiveness of public accountability and efficient use of state resources.

Mr Kofi Amoakohene, the Bono East Regional Minister, expressed optimism that with the professional backgrounds and pedigrees of members, the Committee had the required capacity to be able to deliver to expectation, adding its effectiveness would ensure proper and financial management best practices of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC).

He urged the members to equip themselves with relevant laws to enable them to bring their professional knowledge and expertise to bear on the work to guide the management of the RCC.

The members are Nana Baffour Amo Kofi II, Bono East Regional Auditor for Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Chairman and Mr Owusu Frimpong, the Bono East Regional Budget Officer.

The others are; Mr Augustine Opoku-Mensah, Senior Accountant, Finance Department, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Mrs Cecilia Kagya-Agyemang, Bono East Regional Director of MoFA and Mr Prince Benjamin Nartey Menzo of the Sunyani Technical University