The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Interna Audit Agency (IAA) to institute a public financial accountability dubbed: “The District Accountability Index(DAI)”.
This was contained in a press release by CDD-Ghana.
The DAI project is a public financial accountability performance index that will present information on financial irregularities of District Assemblies in a manner comprehensible by citizens that will generate interests and foster citizen demand accountability from from their local government officials.
The index, which will depend on irregularities highlighted in the Auditor-General’s reports and other similarly important administrative data, will measure all 260 Districts performance relative to financial management.
Through the project, it is expected that there will be an improvement in transparency, accountability, stakeholder participation and value for money in the use of public funds, leading to improved accountability of public and human resources.
Additionally, the DAI project will positively impact social and human resource capitalization for sound financial and economic governance towards sustainable and emancipative development.
The IAA, established by the Internal Audit Agency Act,2003(Act 658), exercises oversight over Internal Audit practices in the public service by setting standards, providing quality assurance and supporting capacity building for good cooperate governance.
According to its 2020, status report, out of the 260 MMDAs audit committes 249 had been established with 11 committes yet to be constituted.
The number of charters signed was 239 out of the 260 expected MMDAs.
Two hundred and fifty two (252) audit work plans have been submitted out of the expected 260 MMDAs with eight outstanding.
The delay or non- submission of reports indicates non- compliance, a phenomenon that poses a risk to sound control systems and effective public financial management.
Therefore, CDD-Ghana, a citizens’ institution that is obligated and subscribes to the constitutional mandate to ensure effective use of public funds for improved social accountability and promotion of national development with the IAA, have agreed to support each other to achieve the the joint mandate.
The DAI is funded by the Governance for Incusive Development program of Deutsche Geselleschaf fur Zusammenabeit (GIZ),GmbH.
On his part, Professor Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, was hopeful that the DAI would go along with the AAI and other policy and decision makers to ensureaccountability in Ghana’s public financial management system.
Dr. Eric Oduro Osae, Director General of the IAA, emphasized the readiness of the Agency in the meeting all the desirables of the MOU.
“This MoU is very critical, because when you have a DAI that pubishes a list that indicates that there woud go a ong way to assist the IAA and other poicy and decision makers to ensure weaknesses in various state agencies, we can zero in on those institutions, and strength those institutions. By that we can use the preventive approach to even preserve it from happening at all”.
CDD- Ghana with a mission to promote and deepen democratic consolidation, good governance and inclusive growth and development, the Ghana Center for Democratic Development works to support and promote a free, peace and a well-governed democracy in Ghana and in other parts of the Africa.
The Center has over two decades of experience, expansion reach, a robust network of partners at the national, continental and global levels and has cultivated and an enduring reputation as a leadership in the field of democracy and governance.
Source: yagbonradioonline
