Publish Audited Accounts, RSG Tells LGs

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has charged authorities of the 23 local governments in Rivers State to always publish their audited accounts to enhance effective financial management of the local government system.
Gov. Wike gave the charge, yesterday, during the public presentation of Audit manual for local governments in Rivers State by the office of the Auditor General for Local Governments at the auditorium of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Port Harcourt.
The governor, who was represented by the commissioner for Agriculture, Hon Onimim Jacks, disclosed that a good auditing system in the local governments will check issues of corruption and lack of accountability mostly associated with local governments.
Wike, who assured the commitment of his administration towards good governance and public accountability, tasked local government in the state to make judicious use of the Audit manual to promote accountability, transparency, and due process in their financial administration.
The governor commended the office of the Auditor-General for Local Government s for preparing the audit manual as a regulatory framework for local governments within  a short period of appointment of a new auditor-general for local government in the state.
In his remarks, the chairman of the event, Barr Chris Onyiri described the  presentation of the audit manual for local government as Rivers State, as a step in the right direction.
Onyiri, who is the chairman of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission, pointed out that the local government as a the closest tier of government to the people, requires proper accountability in its management system to create the right impact.
He called for proper training of staff to enhance productivity in the local government system.
In his welcome address, the Auditor-General for Local Government in the state, Elder Friday Bema, said the Audit manual was designed to provide a comprehensive guidance for the development anf operstion of external and internal audit functions in the local government service.
He added that the manual was targeted at promoting professional standards of auditors in the LGs to meet up with international Audit Standard s and global best practices of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSA), Federal and state Auditors-General, public Sector Auditing standards, and the international public sector accounting standards (IPSAS).
In his keynote address, the Head of Service, Bar Rufus Godwins stated that the audit manual was imperative for prudent financial management of the local governments, especially now  that due process was at the front burner of public discourse.
He called for unhindered access to the financial records and other documents related to the accounts of the local governments to promote effective audit system.

Taneh Beemene