The Audit Committee of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Council, Accra was inaugurated on the 24th December, 2023. Dr. E.O. Osae swore-in the members of the Committee at the conference room of the Council.
The Dr. Eric Nkansah, the Director-General of the Council in his address welcomed all to the GES Council. He shared on the purpose of the meeting and thanked members for making time and applauded the urgency attached to the call for the inauguration. Dr. Nkansah asked for the guidance of the committee and assured the support of the GES in the achievement of their mandate.
Members of the Audit Committee are Mr. Emmanuel K. Arthur (Chairman and ICAG Rep.) Mr. Daniel K. Quampah (IAA Rep), Ms. Pamela Osei Agyekum (IAA Rep.) Mrs. Mamle Andrews and Very Rev. Ama Afo Blay are representatives of the Council.
Dr. Osae, in his address congratulated members of the committee and thanked them for accepting to serve on the Committee. He informed members of their role to support Management and not to take over the management of the Council. He enumerated the three roles of the Committee as Mandatory, Advisory and Supporting.
Dr. Osae on the Mandatory role informed members of the role of ensuring the implementation of recommendation in the Quarterly Audit Reports, External Audit Reports, Directives from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament and Monitoring reports of the Council. The Committee he noted is also to submit an Annual Report copied to the Office of the President, Parliament, the Auditor-General and the Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency. He cautioned members that their being inaugurated at the end of the year does not exempt them from fulfilling on their mandate.
On the Advisory role, the Committee is to advise on good Financial Management Systems and bring their expertise to bear in their support for the Council. Dr Osae noted that a bulk of the country’s budget is geared towards Education and it important that controls are put in place. He advised that members look out for Outstanding reports and ensure the submission of the 4th Quarter Internal Audit Report due on the 31st January, 2024.
Other reports due for submission mentioned are the Annual Performance report due on 31 December, 2023 and the Risked-Based Work Plan due on the 31st January, 2024.
The Director-General mentioned a number of trust area to be looked at by the Internal Auditors which have been issued in the guidelines for the preparation of 2024 Risk-Based Internal Audit Work Plan by Public Sector Internal Auditors issued by the Agency. Dr. Osae again mentioned the newly launched guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance.
- The Emergency Expenditure Management Guidelines
- The Audit Report Recommendations Implementation and Follow-Up Instructions for Public Institutions
- New Audit Committee Guidelines
He encouraged Management to orient members on the work of the Council to enable them understand the work of the Council and better support them.
Dr. Nkansah in his closing remarks thanked members for accepting to serve on the Council’s Committee. He pledged Management’s support and the provision of a right atmosphere to enable them achieve their mandate.
