A six-member Performance Audit Committee was on Monday inaugurated and charged to look into the operations of the Ghana Water Company and Ghana Urban Water Limited.

The Committee is expected to submit its findings within 30 days.

The detailed terms of reference of the Committee include the responsibility to examine all international and local contracts in relation to civil and pipe works, ascertain the level of authority of approval for the procurement and to check whether there was value for money involved in the transactions.

It is also expected to find out the level of delivery of the works, ascertain the mode of procurement of consultancies for training, Information Communication and Technology and revenue collection; scrutinise the delivery of electromagnetic equipment and to find out the means of procurement and disposal of used vehicles in the sector.

Speaking to journalists at the inaugural ceremony in Accra on Monday, Mr. Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, stressed that the move should “not be misconstrued as an activity targeted against an individual or group of persons in the sector," adding “this is not a witch-hunting exercise.”

He disclosed that the performance audit exercise had been similarly carried out in the housing and works sectors stressing that “…occasionally, activities of the sector are looked into in order to correct any default that may be found so that we can achieve our goal of 100 per cent coverage of potable water delivery by 2025.”

Mr. Mensah called on management of various institutions to roll-out effective and proactive Audit Implementation Committee mechanisms to check negligence and discourage the looting of State assets by unscrupulous individuals.

He said if proper periodic auditing was done and findings were subsequently implemented, it would save the State from paying huge sums of judgment debts.

Mr. Frederick Addae, Director at the Ministry and Chairman of the Committee, on behalf of the members, pledged their commitment to work hard to meet the deadline.

“We promise we will work without fear or favour to achieve our mandate,” he said.

The other Committee members are, Group Captain Michael Senanu Kwadzo Dordor (Rtd), Mr. Eric Osei Afriyie, Mr. K. Owusu Ansah, Mr. Felix Tetteh and Mr. Alfred Nortey.**