Accra, Aug 23, GNA - Government has pledged to provide the Audit Service with steady resource supplies to enable the institution to render effective and independent service to promote the prudent management of the country's wealth.

Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP), gave the assurance on Friday at a durbar organized to mark the Centenary Anniversary celebration of the Service in Accra.

The durbar was under the theme: "A Century of Public Sector Auditing -Defining New Frontiers."

Dr Duffuor said government recognised the critical role the Service played in promoting public resource management as a tool for achieving the country's development agenda, especially in the area of economic growth and poverty reduction.

He lauded the Service's varied oversight functions made to uphold good governance and accountability in the public sector through the management of funds, compliance to policy and legislation, as well as the availability of adequate procedures and internal controls to manage risks.

Dr Duffuor said the Audit Service had provided reports that had been helpful in addressing administrative challenges and in blocking revenue leakages aimed at avoiding the waste of public resources.

He identified some of the causes of revenue leakages as unapproved allowances, incorrect computation of salary arrears, unapproved employment and incorrect placement of staff on salary scales.

"The frequent auditing of public institutions and agencies is an indispensable mechanism for achieving transparency on how public funds have been used and what value was obtained from the use of such funds. In this sense, auditing is a critical component of public resource management," he said.

Dr. Duffuor charged management of the Service to continually work hard to promote good governance and accountability in the public sector.

Mr Richard Quartey, Auditor General, said it is the aim of management to change the unfortunate public perception that the public auditor was a "witch-hunter" or fault-finder.

He said the service would employ new methodologies to enable it to undertake forensic auditing to make the work of the Service a demand-driven one.

Mr Quartey also announced that the service was preparing to embark on environmental auditing, disaster management, grants, loans management and special funds and oil and gas audit for the emerging petroleum industry.

He said the durbar offered the opportunity for selected staff, personalities and institutions to be awarded for their meritorious contributions to the growth, progress and achievements of the institution.

"It is an occasion we have chosen to share with the highest office in our land and all the arms of government, with our friends in the accountability profession and also with our development partners and civil society groups pursuing the promotion of transparency, anti-corruption and good governance in Ghana," he said.