Auditors in Dormaa District go to school

Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), Aug. 14, GNA - The new Dormaa District Chief Executive (DCE) Squadron-Leader (rtd) Benjamin Anane Asamoah has declared that his administration would not condone what has become known in the Ghanaian parlance as "African Punctuality", where people choose to attend scheduled meetings at times convenient to them rather than the stipulated time.

"Time like all other resources, must be respected and used judiciously in order for the user to derive maximum benefits from the least time expended", the DCE stressed.

He took the rare stance at a one-day forum for accounting staff drawn from the Dormaa District by the Brong Ahafo Regional Directorate of the Audit Service, which began hours behind schedule and ate into other schedules of the DCE's business for the day.

The forum was aimed at fine-tuning the participants ability to comply strictly with the basic tenets of their profession. The DCE was of the view that the accounting staff of the various decentralized departments has the civic responsibility to display honesty, commitment and patriotism in the discharge of their duties. He observed that the Whistle Blowers Bill currently before Parliament aims at stemming growing corruption and other forms of malfeasance in society and accountants throughout the country are expected to contribute to its success, when passed.

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Auditor Mr Isaac Nyanor appealed to accountants to discard the erroneous impression that auditors are always in to find nothing but fault with the performance of accounting staff. Mr Nyanor noted that auditors were expected to play advisory roles to ensure that their clients do not falter in their day-to-day transactions.

Mr Nyanor urged all accountants to respond swiftly to audit observations and reports and also approach the service for advice in order to inject sanity into their work and avoid unnecessary criticism. Mr Ahenkora Marfo, the Dormaa District Auditor added that, the success of both the auditor and his client hinges on consensus building and the readiness of both parties to follow laid-down procedures. The participants commended the Audit Service and appealed for regular workshops to update them on current trends in their critical and complex profession.