The Ghana Audit Service has intimated that it will no longer focus solely on public expenditure in its audit procedures but will also include auditing public income in order to fully fulfil its mandate of protecting the national purse.
In a panel discussion at the launch of the service’s 2020 financials audit on the theme; ‘Partnering the Audit Service in protecting the public purse; the role of stakeholders’, the acting Auditor General, Mr. Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, stated that the office will now focus on public expenditure as well as public income as this new phase paints a true picture of where the state truly is.
“Traditionally our audit has focused on the line of expenditure, perhaps we had the mindset that revenue generation reporting is a less slippery area. However, that perception has changed because audits have tested that revenue is as risky an audit area as expenditure.
In this new audit, we are launching, attention will be given to various sources of government revenue, how it is collected, how it is recorded, and subsequently utilised. We shall trace every cedi, from its source to where it ends and ensure in accordance with our mandate, all public money has been duly accounted for,” he said.
The acting auditor general, however, reminded the public that it won’t be an easy road as the audit process is based on facts and not perceptions.
“Auditing is about establishing facts, supported by appropriate evidence in order to find a reasonable basis for the auditor’s opinion. We do not audit based on perception and presumptions,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, member of parliament for Ketu North constituency, Dr. James Klutse Avedzi, said the audit service’s role is crucial to the development of the nation and that, without their reports, the appropriate measures to improve the national purse will not be taken.
He further stated that, the new route the service intends to take will help prevent wastage and misuse of public funds.
“Though the resources in the public purse is usually not enough to meet the nation’s expenditure, whatever goes in and comes out of the purse must be protected, so I’m happy the service is now not only focusing on expenditure but on income as well,” he said.
The member of parliament advised stakeholders of the audit service to be diligent in their work.
