The committees are for the Awutu-Senya East, Effutu, and Agona West Municipal assemblies and Awutu-Senya West, Agona East and Gomoa East District assemblies.

Mr Ransford Agyei, the Acting Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency, who swore in members of the committees at a ceremony in the Awutu-Senya Assembly, said audit committees played important roles in the PFM system and expressed the hope that they would work hard to enable the assemblies fulfill their responsibilities under the PFM Act.

He said they were responsible to ensuring public accountability, transparency, operational and financial performance, and the efficient use of public assets and purse. Their mandatory roles, in accordance with PFM Act 2016 (Act 921), is to pursue the implementation of recommendations in the Internal and External Audit reports, monitor the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), especially in their financial matters.

“You are to play advisory roles to promote accountability and good corporate governance, focusing on risk management practices, compliance and adherence to laws, regulations, rules and policies and procedures, and control issues and governance,” Mr Agyei said.

He advised them to ensure that their respective assemblies practiced very affective risk management activities to ensure the safety and security of their information systems and assets. “The Minister of Finance, the Audit Agency and the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana, expect you and management of your assemblies to support the work of the Internal Audit units to ensure that they get the needed resources to execute their mandate as enshrined in the Act.“This will champion quality assurance programmes and improvement of Internal Audit units, external risk managements and performance management systems in your assemblies,” he said.

Mr Benjamin Essah, the Principal Internal Auditor, impressed upon the members to give their optimum in the discharge of their duties to reflect and preserve the enviable image of the Internal Audit Agency and the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana.

He encouraged them to ensure prudent financial management, which would also inform the judicious use of state resources. Mr Michael Yaw Essuman Mensah, the Awutu-East Municipal Chief Executive, who chaired the programme, appealed to the committee members to put aside their personal issues and work as a team to execute the task ahead.