Accountants asked to learn lesson from Ghana at 50 probes

Koforidua, Oct. 29, GNA - The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo has advised Accountants of the Public Service to be guided by the lessons of the ongoing Ghana@50 Commission when their superiors pressurized them to bend the rules to suit them.

He said he as a Minister, respected Public Officials, who could insist on their principles and be bold to point out to him what they were allowed to do or not to do. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo was speaking at the opening of the Second Annual Conference of Health Accounting Staff Association of Ghana (HASAG) in Koforidua on Thursday.

The five-day conference is being organized under the theme; "Wealth Creation for Quality Health Care through Efficient Financial Management". He reminded the Accountants that the Government of Professor John Evans Atta Mills would not advocate the expunging of the law on causing Financial Loss to the State from the statute books and explained that, that Law is not discriminatory but an equitable one which did not understand the language of ignorance.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo reminded the participants that the health sector was an essential service provider and for that matter, under the Labour Laws of the country, they were prohibited from embarking on industrial strike to support demands for better conditions of service. He, however, said the doors of the Government were opened for negotiations and said it was determined to improve on the conditions of service and working environment of all health workers including Doctors. The Acting Director of Finance of the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ms Ramatu Ude Umanta advised health Accountants to improve upon their communication skills and to attend staff meetings where they could offer a lot of financial advice to ensure efficient financial management within the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

She urged them to be good team players and to adopt the necessary attitudes that would help them to work with other professionals within the Service.

The Eastern Regional Administrator of Health Services, Mr Dua Oyinka called on Health Service Accountants to develop good accounting principles to support the Management of Health Services to achieve improved financial reporting through the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and to ensure sustainability of the National Health Insurance Scheme. Earlier in a welcoming address, the President of the Association, Mr Maxwell Obuobisa Darko called for the speedy redress of delays in promotion, upgrading and all personal emolument issues facing members of the Accounting Class in the GHS.