Kumasi, Aug. 11, GNA - The Ministry of Energy has asked the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) to conduct a comprehensive audit of the purchases and utilisation of fuel and utilities by state enterprises, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

Mr Samuel Crabbe, Chairman of Internal Audit Agency Board, who announced this, said the audit was starting immediately. In a speech read on his behalf at a stakeholders' meeting on Internal Audit Regulations and Standards in Kumasi on Thursday, stressed that, "There is an increasing demand from the government, media and public for improvement in accountability and transparency within the public sector financial administration.

There is also a growing concern on the use of public sector financial resources", he added.

Mr Crabbe pointed out that these developments could not be well managed without a robust, professionally oriented public sector auditing with a well-documented internal auditing general and legal framework. "As a Board, we are relentlessly working to create the necessary staffing, organisational, legal and practice framework for public sector internal auditing", he said.

Mr Crabbe said he was happy that the regulations and standards, the two draft documents had moved up to a stage for stakeholders' discussion and scrutiny and hoped that participants would be guarded by the provisions of Internal Audit Act 658, especially Section 24 in discussing the draft regulations and in reviewing the draft standards. Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister, noted that the Agency was young but poised for the pursuit of its objectives and goals.

He was optimistic that the meeting would provide an opportunity for participants to discuss and comment on the two documents that were fundamental to the effectiveness of internal auditing in the public sector.

Mr Owusu-Ansah said the activities of the Agency was geared towards fulfilling certain basic functions provided in the Act 658, which included ensuring financial, managerial and accurate operating information, which were reliable and timely on national resources, activating of the MDAs and MMDAs.

Mr Henry Tackey, Senior State Attorney of the Attorney General's Department said the meeting intended to facilitate the work of internal audit by making the role and responsibilities of the Audit Agency and MDAs and MMDAs clearer.

Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, Co-ordinating Directors, Auditors and Regional Directors from the public sector are attending the meeting. 11 Aug. 06