Mr. Thomas Ashaley Thompson-Aryee, Ag. Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) on 13th August, 2025, inaugurated the Audit Committee of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General. The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Hon Dominic Akuritinga Ayine was the Chairperson of the event. Hon. Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, was in attendance.
The Chief Director, Mrs. Fati Bodua Seidu, in her opening remarks, said the inauguration marked a milestone in the commitment to good governance, accountability, and transparency in the management of public resources as mandated by the PFM Act 2016 (Act 921) and the PFM Regulations, 2019 (L.I. 2378). She continued that the purpose of the inauguration was threefold, namely, to formally inaugurate and swear in members of the Audit Committee, reaffirm the Ministry’s commitment to sound financial management and compliance with statutory requirements, and provide a platform for the Committee to understand its critical oversight role in ensuring efficiency, accountability, and risk management in the Ministry’s financial operations.
Giving an overview of the Audit Committee’s mandate, Mrs. Seidu stated that it is to provide independent oversight of financial reporting, internal controls, and the audit process of the institution and review internal and external audit reports, ensuring timely implementation of recommendations; assess risk management frameworks to safeguard public resources; and enhance transparency in the Ministry’s operations to build public trust.
The Chief Director intimated that members of the Committee are expected to exercise diligence and objectivity in their oversight functions, collaborate with the IAA, and uphold the principles of accountability in all deliberations. She concluded by calling on members to remember that their success would be measured by its impact in promoting fiscal discipline and operational excellence within the Ministry.
The Attorney-General, Hon. Ayine, in his statement mentioned that the ceremony was not merely procedural but a demonstration of the collective commitment of all to uphold the highest standards of financial accountability and governance in the public sector. He outlined the statutory backing of the Audit Committee as provided in Section 83 of the PFM Act 2016, (Act 921) as well as the mandate.
Hon. Ayine emphasized that the Government is committed to good governance and added President Mahama’s administration remains unwavering in its commitment to transparency in all government transactions, accountability in the use of public resources, and efficiency in service delivery.
The Attorney-General urged members of the Committee to be thorough in their reviews, impartial in their assessment, courageous in their recommendations, and timely in their reporting. He stated the support and collaboration of the IAA will be critical to the success of the Audit Committee.
Concluding, the Attorney-General implored members to remember public service is sacred trust, every cedi of public funds must be accounted for, and good governance is non-negotiable.
Mr. Thompson-Aryee reminded members of the Committee that it is an oversight body and not an administrative one and should be guided as such. He informed the meeting of reforms within the public sector and mentioned amendments to some sections of the PFM Act 2016 and the commitment approval that requires approval from the Ministry of Finance for procurement transactions above the approved threshold. He also spoke about the Commitment Compliance Checklist Report (CCCR), which requires all contracts awarded to be certified by internal auditors in Covered Entities.
