Dr. E.O. Osae, Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency on 21st December, 2022 inaugurated the Audit Committee of NDPC. Dr. Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, the Director-General of NDPC who chaired the event said in his opening remarks that the institution exists to ensure accountability on the part of entities in charge of development such as the MMDAs. He continued that there was the need to ensure compliance so it could demand the same from the institutions under it. He added that the work of the Committee has prevented the Commission from appearing before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.
Members of the Committee are Prof. K. Adom-Frempong (IAA Rep and Chairman of the Committee), Madam Christiana Sakyibea Dei (IAA Rep), Mr. Nathaniel Owusu Ansah (ICAG Rep), Madam Dede Bedu-Addo and Mr. Kwadwo Tutu are Commissioners of NDPC. Ms. Theresa Awudey is Secretary of the Committee.
Dr. Osae mentioned that the main roles of the Committee provided under the PFM Act, 2016 are three namely mandatory, advisory and supporting. The mandatory roles, according to him include assisting leadership to implement recommendations in Internal and External Audit and Monitoring Reports. He advised the Committee to draw the attention of leadership to avoidable pitfalls. He stated that public institutions are moving away from conventional pre-auditing to a risk-based one and as such, internal auditors should be proactive.
On the advisory roles, Dr. Osae said the Committee should provide advisory services on financial and risk management practices. He advised members of the Committee to sit in entrance and exit meetings of External Auditors. He stressed that Management should not be pressured to admit External Auditors when they signal their intention to audit but ask for time to enable them put the system in order before admitting them. The supporting roles of the Committee include assisting the Internal Auditor in the preparation and submission of relevant reports.
In concluding, Dr. Osae mentioned that the following reports are due for submission:
i) Annual Internal Audit Performance Report is due by 31st December, 2022.
ii) Risk-Based Internal Audit Work plan is due by 31st January, 2023.
iii) 4th Quarter Internal Audit Report is due by 31st January, 2023.
iv) Annual Audit Committee Report is due by 30th June, 2023.
He added that since Donor Partners’ support to the NDPC is dependent largely on compliance with the submission of relevant reports, the Committee should ensure that the institution is not in default.
