The Internal Audit Agency (IAA) is appealing to the Ministry of Finance to apply sanctions on heads and boards of public institutions that do not adhere to the Public Financial Management Act.

According to its Director-General, Dr. Oduro-Osae, such a move will help control government expenditure to prevent budget overruns.

The recent 2022 Auditor General Report uncovered financial irregularities of about ¢15 billion among state institutions.

Speaking at a Post Mid-Year Budget Forum organised by Institute of Chartered Accountant Ghana, Dr Oduro-Osae, said his outfit has already begun publishing names of public institutions that fails to submit quarterly internal audit report to his outfit.

“We have started naming and shaming by publishing names of institutions that failed to submit the required orderly internal audit report. By the regulation, we are allowed to publish names of institutions and names of board of directors of these institutions and that is the next statement.”

He cautioned all accountants within the public sector to be careful since when they are caught, they will be named and shamed whilst sanctions are enforced.

“But the accountant let us be very careful because once the Ministry of Finance crashes and punishes our organisations, we are going to suffer. And as professionals we should not allow our organisation to suffer”.

IAA uncovers many public sector workers with different date of births

Meanwhile the IAA says it has uncovered many public sector workers with different date of births, a move that will cut down ghost names on government payroll and save the country from wastage.

According to Director-General, Dr. Oduro-Osae, it has adopted a preventive approach to reduce abuse of public funds.

Speaking at the Post Budget Forum organised by ICAG, Dr. Oduro-Osae said the element of unearned salaries has been reducing.

“We don't want to spend money chasing money that have been stolen; that is we don't want to go there again but we want to adopt a preventive approach that is why on the quarterly basis every internal audit unit has to submit a report to the Internal Audit Agency.

“The Internal Audit Agency will do a follow up where there is an issue we will get you prosecuted. The element of unearned salaries is reducing”.

Dr. Oduro Osea further that the Ministry of Finance is doing all its best to clean up the government pay roll to eliminate ghost names.