Audit Service launches centenary celebration

Accra, Oct. 9, GNA - Mr. Richard Quartey, Acting Auditor-General, on=

Friday stressed the need for the Audit Service to undergo institutional a= nd cultural change to meet the current demands and challenges of the future. Launching the centenary celebration alongside the corporate logo of the Service in Accra, Mr. Quartey called on the staff to resolve to adopt new=

systems and applications to improve their operational methods. "As computerisation of financial and management procedures grow, the=

challenges that confront the auditor increase proportionately and should therefore build capacity to be abreast of the new technologies and methodologies to fulfil the advisory and regulatory roles," he added. Mr. Quartey noted that the discovery of oil and gas in Ghana had le= d auditors into the area of oil and gas auditing for which the management o= f the Service was preparing to "develop in-house capacity" to effectively tackle that sector. The celebration which is under the theme; "A Century of Public Secto= r Auditing-Defining New Frontiers" would begin in November 2009 with variou= s activities until August 2010. Activities include documentaries, health walk, seminars, workshops a= nd lectures. Others are football gala, radio and television talk shows, durbars, floats, press soiree, dinner/dance and awards night. The Audit Service begin work in Ghana as the Gold Coast Audit Department in 1910 and was renamed the Auditor-General's Department in 19= 54 and then to the Audit Service in 1969. Since 1910, the Service had had 10 substantive heads with the late M= r. Ahenkora Osei as the first Ghanaian Auditor General from 1963 to 1981.