A GAC press release quotes an engagement letter of the Auditor General dated January 4, 2010 addressed to Madam Vabah K. Gayflor, Minister of Gender and Development, as saying that the GAC will conduct the audit of the MGD and express an opinion on the Ministry’s balance sheet and related statements of income and of cash flow for four fiscal periods ranging from July 1, 2006 to December 31, 2009.
The Gender and Development Ministry audit is consistent with the Executive Law of 1972 authorizing the Auditor General to audit all government ministries and agencies.
The Auditor General assured Minister Gayflor in a communication that he would conduct his scheduled audit according with international standards on auditing as promulgated by INTOSAI, which require that the audit is planned to obtain reasonable assurance on whether financial statements are free of material misstatements, whether caused by error, default, mistake or fraud.
Meanwhile, the Auditor General says financial statements and related records are the responsibility of the Ministry, which is responsible to establish and maintain an effective internal control over financial reporting, making financial records and related information available for audit and for identifying and ensuring that the Ministry complies with the laws and regulations that apply to its activities.
GAC says the audit will also assess the accounting principles used by the MGD, evaluate the overall financial statement and would ensure whether there is effective and efficient internal system and control at the MGD.
In a related development, the GAC has completed a special forensic investigation of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism’s Payroll for the period ended July 1, 2006 to September 30, 2009. The draft report had been sent to the various auditees, including the suspended Information Minister Rev. Dr. Laurence K.Bropleh to comment on the report if they deemed it fit and being conscious that refusal to comment means consent of all the audit findings. The audit, which is categorically conclusive, captures US$262,772.73 of misappropriation and fraudulent payments by the suspended Minister Bropleh and proffered recommendation for restitution of the said amount with interest paid to the Ministry of Finance and also called for prosecution.
Source: GAC
© 2010 by The Perspective
E-mail: editor@theperspective.org
To Submit article for publication, go to the following URL: http://www.theperspective.org/submittingarticles.html