Dr. Eric Oduro Osae inaugurated the Audit Committee of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital on 21st February, 2022.
Members of the Committee are Mr. Hayford Dowuona-Hammond (Rep of IAA and Chairman), Mr. Frank Owusu Boachi (ICAG Rep), Mr. Gordon J. Anieku (ICAG Rep), Mr. Robert Kofi Alomath and Dr. Bernard Mortotsi are representatives of the hospital.
A representative of Madam Carolyn Amissah, Ag. Chief Executive the Mental Health Authority (MHA) who chaired the inauguration on her behalf, said the swearing-in of the Hospital’s maiden Audit Committee is in line with the Public Financial Management Act. He said the establishment of the Committee is very important to the MHA and added he was hopeful it would help in dealing with the chronic underfinancing of the institution. He continued that with the coming in of the Committee, Management would be supported and guided to think value for money in its decisions.
The Hospital Director of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr. A. Pinaman Appau, in her remarks, expressed her excitement at the inauguration of the Committee and noted that the swearing-in alone of the Committee has taken an audit query off the Hospital.
Dr. Osae in his address said the Audit Committee is a Statutory Committee provided under the Public Financial Management Act to support Management deliver on its mandate. He stated that the Hospital is a sensitive institution working under difficult conditions. The Director-General enumerated the three roles of the Committee as mandatory, advisory and supporting. The mandatory role, Dr. Osae said, requires members to help the institution develop a risk-based plan that covers physical and operational risks as the Hospital’s work involved a lot of risks. He mentioned the timelines for submission of plans and other mandatory reports and the obligation of the Committee in ensuring their timely delivery. Members are also required to produce an annual report which indicates the effectiveness of the Hospital’s control systems to the Office of the President, Parliament, Auditor-General and the Director-General of the Agency.
On the advisory role, members were tasked to advise Management on financial and performance management practices. Dr. Osae encouraged Management to organize an orientation for members to enable them properly understand the Hospital’s work in order to support it effectively. He encouraged members to make themselves available for the entrance and exit meetings of External Auditors to better explain issues to them and ensure compliance with the law.
Dr. Osae on the supporting role, tasked members to guide the Internal Auditor in the delivery of his/her mandate. He mentioned a news item on the indebtedness of Pantang Hospital and assured support in advocating for resource delivery to advert such negative occurrences.
The Hospital Director in her closing remarks, congratulated members and pledged the support of the Hospital’s Management in the delivery of its mandate.
