Auditor-General's Department is vital - JAK

President John Kufuor on Wednesday said the Auditor-General's Department was a vital agency for the government to realise the objectives of its policy of "Zero Tolerance For Corruption".

He, therefore, called on the Auditor-General and staff of the Department to be above reproach in their operations because if they defaulted they could not be excused. President Kufuor said this when he swore Edward Dua Agyeman into office as the new Auditor-General at the Castle, Osu.

Agyeman swore the Oath of office and secrecy. President Kufuor said operations of the Department were peculiar as it scrutinised the accounts and operations of all state officers and institutions to ensure effective and efficient management in the country.

He said Agyeman and the staff were expected to do a thorough work and to observe the due process of law in the interest of the state. Agyeman said the Audit Service had excelled and performed creditably in international assignments including the auditing the United Nations and its agencies for the past 26 years.

However, its domestic performance has not been that exemplary and in many areas had been put into question. He said positive changes were emerging in the Service; adding: "A new work culture is evolving, things are falling into place. We now have a new Audit Service Board and an Auditor-General."

Agyeman said his appointment was to serve the nation and pledged to work to bring an appreciable and significant positive change in public service financial management.

"It is the corporate goal of the Service to achieve a saving of three times the value of Audit Service funding, measured over a period from 2003 to 2010. "For every one cedi spent on the Audit Service, the Service will save the nation three cedis. This is amply demonstrated in the recent audit of the 110 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and more notably in the payroll audit."

Agyeman holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Degree in Business Studies and is a Fellow of ACCA. He had since April 2001 been the Acting Auditor-General. From July 1987-1989, he was the Deputy Auditor-General.

He has taught in various higher educational institutions in the United Kingdom and has published over seven textbooks mainly in bookkeeping, accounts and taxation. His main areas of interest are auditing, investigations, tax management and practice.