In a significant development for public financial management in Ghana, the Volta Regional Office of the Ghana Audit Service has been officially commissioned in Ho.

This new office marks a substantial upgrade from the previous facility, which had been housed in the premises of the Regional health directorate since Ghana's independence.

The move to a dedicated office space is expected to greatly enhance the efficiency and working conditions for the Audit Service staff in the region.

The commissioning ceremony was graced by the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, who delivered a speech on behalf of President Akufo-Addo.

In his address, Dr Letsa conveyed the President's delight at the occasion, noting the significance of the new office not just for the Volta Region but for the entire Audit Service infrastructure across the country.

"I am elated to be here in the beautiful city of Ho, for the commissioning of the Audit Service Volta Regional Office. I am reliably informed by the Auditor-General that today’s programme marks the third commissioning of such office complexes this year alone," Dr Letsa said. He highlighted the previous commissioning of office complexes in Koforidua and Cape Coast, underscoring the government's commitment to improving the working environments for the Audit Service nationwide.

The journey to this milestone began in 2016 when Cabinet approved a loan facility of EUR13.0 million from KfW, the German Development Bank Group, to finance the construction of 25 regional and district offices for the Ghana Audit Service.

However, the project faced delays due to bureaucratic hurdles, which increased construction costs and reduced the number of offices to be built from 25 to 19.

In a fortunate turn of events, the government of Germany, during the 2020 Ghana/Germany Intergovernmental negotiations, pledged an additional EUR11.5 million to the project. This infusion of funds allowed for the construction of six additional regional and six district offices, including the new Volta Regional Office.

Dr Letsa emphasized that these projects are vital for strengthening the infrastructure of the Audit Service at both regional and district levels.

He noted that the enhanced facilities would improve the service's capacity to fulfill its constitutional mandate of promoting good governance, transparency, accountability, and probity in Ghana’s financial management system.

The President's representative also lauded the government’s consistent support for the Auditor-General's office, noting that budgetary allocations had enabled the completion of various abandoned projects across the country. Among these was the completion of a 4-storey regional office complex in Kumasi, a 3-storey office in Tamale, and district offices in Agona, Winneba, Tumu, and Kete Krachi, which are now fully operational.

The Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu in his remarks, expressed his gratitude to the government for its unwavering support. He highlighted that the President's commitment to the growth and development of accountability institutions like the Audit Service is a testament to his dedication to fighting corruption and safeguarding the public purse.

Viktoria Kowarzik, the Portfolio Manager from KfW, also spoke at the event, affirming the German government’s commitment to good governance, emphasized that the new office is a contribution to Ghana’s development agenda and is intended to foster effective, transparent, and accountable public institutions.

Mr Moses Ahiatsi, the Volta Regional Auditor, expressed his deep satisfaction about the new facility, calling it a "dream come true" for the staff who had worked under less-than-ideal conditions for decades. He noted that the new office, which was supported through German financial cooperation with a total expenditure of 16.47 million Ghana cedis, would greatly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Audit Service in the Volta Region.