Transparent public financial management critical to good governance – CAGD

Mr Sampson Asare Fianko, Deputy Controller and Accountant General in Charge of Finance and Administration, has noted that a transparent public financial management system is a critical requirement for accountability and good governance.

He said the transparent management of public finances supported national accountability by disclosing to the public and governments the state of public resources at all times.

Mr Fianko who was speaking at the opening ceremony of a three-day training workshop in Public Sector Financial Management for accounting officers in the Volta and Oti regions, said the management of public finances was a fundamental responsibility of all governments with his outfit, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) as a key player for the prudent management of the national purse.

He said the responsibility on CAGD called for a committed, dedicated and well empowered workforce willing to discharge duties as managers of the public purse.

Mr Fianko called on the officers to be guided by the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act and its regulations in their dealings as the inability to exercise their advisory role effectively would lead to a violation of trust.

He said the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) since its implementation in 2012 still remained one of the CAGD flagship projects because it had deepened transparency, record keeping, accounting and reporting.

Mr Fianko said the CAGD was implementing other initiatives and policies aimed at enhancing and strengthening service delivery to stakeholders.

Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister lauded the CAGD for the in-house training to keep staff abreast with current accounting trends.

He said the training workshop had become important at a time that the nation was driving towards achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “within the framework of a Ghana beyond aid”.

Source: GNA