The Minister for Labour, Job and Employment, Dr Abdul Rashid Pelpuo, has inaugurated a five-member Audit Committee, charging members to uphold financial accountability, transparency and good governance within the institution.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Accra on Thursday, Dr Pelpuo described the committee as an important body for ensuring sound financial management and strengthening oversight in the Ministry.
He expressed confidence that the committee would support compliance with financial regulations and help prevent audit issues that could affect officials and the institution.
“This inauguration marks a step towards strengthening financial accountability, transparency and good governance within our Ministry. I hope this is the beginning of doing things right here,” he said.
Dr Pelpuo noted that the establishment of the committee is in line with the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), and government accounting standards.
He explained that the committee would provide financial oversight to ensure effective financial management practices, coordinate internal and external audit activities, manage operational and financial risks, and monitor compliance with government regulations and policies.
According to him, the committee would also help improve transparency and accountability across the Ministry’s operations.
The Minister said the diverse professional backgrounds of the members would provide the expertise needed to support the committee’s work. He thanked representatives from the Internal Audit Agency, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ghana and the Ministry for accepting the responsibility to serve.
“We have high expectations of the committee. We believe you will review reports systematically, ensure timely implementation of recommendations and monitor ICT asset management and data integrity within the Ministry,” he stated.
He further urged the committee to assess compliance with public financial management laws and government accounting manuals, and to support efforts to strengthen staff capacity in audit and financial management.
Dr Pelpuo said the committee would be required to submit regular reports on its findings to the Permanent Secretary and the Minister.
He assured members of management’s support and pledged unrestricted access to financial records and audit documents to enable them to carry out their duties effectively.
He called on senior officials to cooperate with the committee and support the digitisation of administrative processes to improve efficiency and accountability.
He said the committee’s work would help maintain the Ministry’s reputation for sound financial management and efficient operations. He commended members for their willingness to serve and officially inaugurated the committee before members took the oath of office.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, the Chairperson, Mr Samuel Gyekye Mensah, said teamwork and commitment from all members would be necessary for the committee to achieve its objectives.
He noted that the committee had been carrying out its responsibilities for some time and stressed that the active participation of every member was necessary for effective performance.
Mr Gyekye Mensah said the committee would work to ensure that the Ministry is adequately prepared whenever it appears before oversight bodies.
He also urged internal auditors to perform their duties diligently, explaining that the objective is not to conceal problems but to ensure that issues are properly addressed and documented.
The Other members of the Audit Committee are Madam. Pamela Osei Agyeikum (Internal Audit Agency), Madam. Deborah Kokor Cobbina (Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ghana), Madam. Gifty Joyce Bosomprah (Ministry of Labour, Job and Employment) and Mr Shadrach Mensah (Ministry of Labour, Job and Employment).
Priscilla Osei-Wusu Nimako, ISD
