Dr Nana Ato Arthur, Head of Local Government Service, has challenged Chief Directors/Regional Coordinating Directors (RCDs) of the Service to make conscious efforts to “hugely” reduce audit infractions.

He said that could be achieved by adhering to audit recommendations and responding to breaches raised through auditing within the stipulated time.

Dr Arthur said this when he opened a two-day retreat for Chief Directors and Regional Coordinating Directors in Kumasi.

The retreat was under the theme: “Strengthening the RCCs for effective and efficient Public Service delivery at the local level".

The Head of the Service encouraged the Chief Directors and staff of the Service to subscribe to the medical insurance policy provided by the Nationwide Medical Insurance company to complement the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Mr. Saani Abdulai, Ashanti Regional Director of the Audit Service, Kumasi District “B”, said audit infractions could be reduced drastically if the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) were committed to addressing financial irregularities at the local level and adhered to audit recommendations.

He called on the Regional Coordinating Directors to provide Local Government staff with the needed training to build their competencies in handling audit breaches.

Felicia Dapaah, Chief Director, Office of the Head of Local Government Service, urged the Regional Coordinating Directors to use the retreat as a platform to share best practices in reducing audit queries and provide the needed leadership to the MMDAs to reduce audit infractions.

She implored the Chief Directors to include monitoring of their sub- District structures in their quarterly monitoring.

The Chief Directors were taken through promoting ethics in public service and work-life balance to deliver effective and efficient service.

The engagement was also to enhance their role, professionalism and ethical values, and to ultimately strengthen their administrative capacities.