Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) across West Africa have been urged to harness the power of digital technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to enhance public sector auditing for economic transformation and good governance.
That require the SAIs to deepen regional collaboration and knowledge sharing on best practices, actively engaging citizens and timely publication of audit findings, and using digital systems to track expenditures.
Supreme audit institutions are independent, national-level agencies that audit government revenue and spending to ensure accountability and transparency in public finances.
Experts at the third ECOWAS Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ECOSAI) meeting in Accra emphasised the relevance of auditors in tracking expenditures, reducing errors, and making fiscal corrections to enhance transparency and accountability in public financial management.
That, they said, would also enhance public trust and transform auditing to drive regional development.
Mr Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, Ghana’s Auditor-General, urged SAIs to use public sector auditing as a tool for economic transformation, and not just fiscal correction.
“This is very important for us to forge forward for deeper regional integration.”
He said SAIs must periodically engage citizens, enhance efficiency by ensuring that every public investment delivered maximum value, and develop zero tolerance for corruption, particularly in the public sector.
“Corruption and inefficiency do not respect national borders. Therefore, our response must be equally united – we must build a very strong west African audit alliance, share data, insights and developments across our borders, and explore AI and other applications that empower auditors and protect taxpayers,” Mr Asiedu said.
He prompted auditors of their crucial role in building public trust, saying: “We need to remind ourselves that we are not just auditors, but the architects of trust, transparency, and accountability. Our work ensures that public funds serve the public good.”
Madam Abena Osei-Asare, Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, noted the role of SAIs in fighting corruption and contributing to national development, calling tor partnerships, personnel capacity building, and enhanced performance.
She urged auditors to form stronger cooperations with national public accounts committees, internal audit bodies, media organisations, and civil society groups for effective public financial performance.
“Your goal must remain clear to advance accountability and transparency in the management of public resources at both the national and regional levels, ensuring that these resources translate into tangible improvement in the lives of the citizens of our sub-region,” Madam Osei-Asare said.
Mrs Diane Holo-Sacramento, Chairperson of Fourth ECOWAS Audit Committee, in a speech read on her behalf, stressed the link between accountability and sustainable development, urging SAIs to play their roles effectively.
“Accountability and transparency in public financial assistance are not optional. They are the lifeblood of sustainable development,” she said.
“Without decisive and collective action, we risk losing a generation to poverty, despair, and the rising tide of anti-democratic sentiments spreading across the region.”
Mrs Holo-Sacramento, however, expressed confidence about the region building robust audit systems and collectively overcoming the obstacles in audits across the region, saying: “I am confident that national parliaments stand with you on your mission. Carry on and march boldly to your goals.”
The ECOSAI meeting serves as a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and strengthening audit practices to promote accountability and good governance across ECOWAS regions.
Source: GNA
Source: ghanabusinessnews.com
