The Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) has officially opened its annual conference in Takoradi to assess its performance and devise mechanisms to improve its operations.
The two-day conference, which is on the theme, “Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda: The Role of the Public Sector Accountant” will be used to deliberate on how public sector accountants could contribute to achieving the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda.
It would also be used to sensitise participants to the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act, Act 921, which was passed into law by Parliament to ensure effective fiscal discipline in the management of public resources and promote transparency and accountability.
A total of 425 delegates, comprising Heads of Account at the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Regional Directors of CAGD, Finance Officers at the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) are attending.
Also in attendance are a number of dignitaries from both the private and public sector, including; seasoned accountants and financial management experts whose activities had a bearing on the operations of the CAGD.
Among the topics to be discussed include; consequences of audit infractions, pension planning (Tier 2 and 3 Pension Schemes), and corporate governance: reforms in Ghana public sector, and fraud, forensic accounting and forensic auditing.
Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Western Regional Minister in his welcoming address, noted that as public sector accountants, they had a duty to the public not only to receive, disburse and account for public funds, but to also guide the MMDAs and MDAs on “how to make money”.
He indicated that the role of today’s public sector accountant was not limited to the efficient use of public funds, but wealth creation through innovative means and challenged them to lead in the crusade for wealth creation and improved service delivery as their identifiable contribution to the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda.
