Monrovia – The General Auditing Commission (GAC) has begun the process of the much-publicized system audit at the House of Representatives with the holding of an entry meeting with the House Leadership and the Public Account Committee (PAC) of that august body.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway
The process is in line with the fully statutory mandate as provided under Section 2.1.3(c) and (d) of the GAC Act. (Section 2.1.3(c) for instance states that: “(c) the Auditor General shall have the right to determine which audits are to be carried out, to select the type of audit, when to carry them out and report the findings.
Also, under Section 2.1.3(d) adds: “In the performance of his/her operational duties, the AG shall not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority”.
Setting the Pace For Comprehensive Audit
The pronouncement to conduct a system audit rather than a comprehensive has triggered serious public mixed-reactions with scores of Liberians insisting for the latter; however, Auditor General Garsuah P. Jackson said the process is a pacesetter of ensuring that transparency and accountability prevail over the exercise of public fund at the Legislature, particularly the House of Representatives.
According to him, the system audit is the inaugural audit of the House of Representatives and is consistent with the mandate of the AG and the GAC to audit all public funds.
He said the system is necessary at this time because it will enable the GAC to conduct the initial risk assessment since it is the first time ever that the House is being audited.
“Now, we are going to perform a system audit. Why? Because this is the first time an audit is being performed at the Legislature. And our initial risk assessment and professional duty is that the relevant financial instrument that we should be assessing to perform a full-scale compliance audit or financial statement audit may not be available,” AG Jackson explained.
In other words, he points out that the current exercise is intended to perform a comprehensive assessment of the governance of financial management system of the Legislature.
Predicated upon this, he said the Commission could identify those risks and make practical recommendations to ensure that a full scale system is put in place.
“Right after this audit, we have a department at the GAC referred to as the follow-up on the implementation of audits that reports directly to the office of the Auditor General. The purpose of that department is to provide technical capacity support to all of our auditees to aid them in expediting the implementations of the audit recommendations. That unit is going to be working with the relevant stakeholders here at the Legislature to ensure that they fully understand all of the recommendations that will come out of the system audit.”
Strengthening PFM
Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, while welcoming the GAC team headed by AG Jackson at the House, described the process as milestone in strengthening public financial management and reinforcing accountability.
“This exercise marks the first time in post-war Liberia, and arguably the first time in our nation’s legislative history, that the Legislature is undergoing a system audit or review. For many years, such an intervention was spoken of, debated, and hoped for, but it is only now, under this leadership that it is becoming a reality. For this, honorable colleagues, we are grateful for your support and your commitment to transparency.”
He says the system audit, which is the first step toward a full-fledged financial audit of the Legislature, will help identify gaps, recommend reforms, and set the stage for a more comprehensive review of our financial operations.
To further institutionalize accountability, Speaker Koon discloses that the Legislature is in the process of establishing an Internal Audit Secretariat and setting up an automated financial management system.
These efforts, he intoned, are geared toward ensuring full compliance with applicable public financial laws, including the Public Financial Management (PFM) Law and the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) Law.
“We want to reassure the public that under the leadership of Speaker Koon, the House of Representatives is committed to openness, transparency, and accountability. This process reflects our willingness to subject ourselves to the same standards that we expect of every public institution,” he added.
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