Work to reduce audit infractions - Senior civil servants advised

The Head of Local Government Service, Dr Nana Ato Arthur, has challenged chief directors and regional coordinating directors (RCDs) of the service to make conscious efforts to significantly reduce audit infractions in their respective regions.

That, he said, could be achieved by adhering to audit recommendations and responding to breaches raised through auditing within the stipulated period under review.

Dr Arthur made the call during the opening of a two-day retreat for chief directors and regional coordinating directors in Kumasi.

The retreat was on the theme: ‘Strengthening the RCCs for effective and efficient Public Service delivery at the local level .’

Retreat

As part of the activities outlined for the meeting, the chief directors were refreshed on promoting Ethics in Public Service and Work-Life Balance to deliver effective and efficient service and enhance their role, professionalism and ethical values, and to ultimately strengthen their administrative capacities.

Dr Arthur said an agreement had been entered into with the nationwide medical insurance company to offer services to all staff and complement the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He thus enjoined the chief directors and all staff of the Local Government Service to subscribe to the medical insurance policy provided by the nationwide medical insurance company.

Consequently, all staff were to enrol on at least the minimum premium of GH¢30 for subscribers while officers could request add-ons after the initial onboarding.

Dr Arthur therefore, tasked the chief directors to facilitate the successful onboarding of all Local Government Service staff to ensure that none was left out.

The Ashanti Regional Director of the Audit Service, Kumasi District "B", Saani Abdulai, said audit infractions could drastically be reduced if the various metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) committed to addressing financial irregularities at the local level and adhere to audit recommendations.

Mr Saani called on regional coordinating directors to provide Local Government staff with the needed training to build their competence in handling audit breaches.

The Chief Director of the Office of the Head of Local Government Service, Felicia Dapaah, encouraged the regional coordinating directors to use the retreat as a platform to share best practices in reducing audit queries and provide the needed leadership to the MMDAs to reduce audit infractions.

Ms Dapaah also implored the chief directors to include monitoring of their sub-district structures in their quarterly monitoring.

Development partners

Speaking on behalf of KFW Development Bank, Samuel Anokye emphasised the need for the Local Government Service to ensure financial discipline was enhanced to address audit infractions.

He urged the Office of the Head of Local Government Service (OHLGS) to ensure that staff assigned to the various MMDAs were well qualified with the competences required, to provide effective and efficient use of resources.

He advocated regular capacity building for staff at all levels.