Sunyani (B/A), Jan. 20, GNA – The key to sustaining the country’s democratic dispensation is good financial governance and accountability, Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament said on Wednesday in Sunyani.
He stressed that good and responsible fiscal governance and transparent financial accountability at all levels of government and the public sector, was required to guarantee the security and entrenchment of the democratic order.
Mr. Kan-Dapaah, who is Member of Parliament (MP) for Effigya-Sekyere, was speaking at the opening of the 2012 annual national conference of the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department ( CAGD).
He said good governance was essentially about the rule of law, free press, freedom of expression and free speech.
The three-day conference that was attended by 380 participants comprising of staff of CAGD, Finance Officers and Coordinating Directors of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDs) was on the theme: “Achieving Ghana’s Developmental Goals-The Role of the Public Accountant”.
It gave the platform for participants to assess their performances in the past and draw up plans for the years ahead.
Mr. Kan-Dapaah said currently, the people were enjoying freedom of expression and media freedom unlike in the 1980s when they demanded those tenets.
Mr. Kan-Dapaah said that the PAC would continue to ensure that the MMDAs provide complete and accurate statement of accounts as demanded by law.
He explained the PAC did not maliciously criticize the MMDAs for inaccuracies and discrepancies in their financial statements but it was following the principles of auditing that sought after the bad side of the accounting system but not the good side of it.
Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, reiterated the need for public accountants to ensure that all transactions, especially expenditure made were properly receipted for financial transparency and accountability.
He said the Government had accepted the implementation of the Composite Budget Policy and asked accountants to support it and apply best accounting practices to enhance the economic stability of the country.
Mr. Kwasi Oppong-Ababio, Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, said Ghanaians had now become more informed because of the several transparency and accountability measures being taken by Government and civil society groups.
He said there was there was the need for the Government to develop the capacities of stakeholders in financial management at MMDAs so that it could fully implementation of the Financial Decentralization Policy.
