GAC requests collaboration From Gov't Agencies

It appears that the General Auditing Commission (GAC) is not getting the cooperation from government agencies and organizations in the ongoing audits of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 fiscal years.

“To purge Liberia from the dragnet of fiscal improprieties and corruption to the limelight of accountability, transparency and fiscal probity, GAC is admonishing well meaning Liberians to appreciate the work of the Commission in performing its statutory role to protect the public money for the good of the public”, GAC Communication Department noted in a release.

The Department in a release indicated that the ongoing audits focus on the examination of financial records of governmental institutions and agencies on transactions involving public monies during the periods under review.

As an independent autonomous body, the release averred, that GAC is working immensely to ensure that Liberia 's nascent democracy is protected from the claws of individuals and government agencies and organizations that take pleasure in siphoning public monies for their personal benefits at the detriment of the suffering masses .

GAC expresses unwavering commitment to the general public of its statutory obligations to be resolute in the fight against corruption.

The Department's release quoted Chapter 53.3 of the Executive Law of 1972 that the head of the GAC, the Auditor General (AG), is principally responsible to conduct comprehensive post audits, special financial investigations, reconciliation and analyses and continuous audit on a routine basis of government agencies and organizations.

The AG, the release further said, performs ,among other responsibilities as enshrined in the Executive Law, audits of all government agencies and organizations and examine, to the extent he deems necessary; all transactions and accounts relating to the receipts, disbursement , and utilization of the public monies; performs audits of all property accounts and transactions of government agencies and organizations and performs audits of withdrawals of money within the responsibility of the government.

The AG, according to the Executive Law of 1972, also has the task to inspect the books of accounts of privately owned commercial and manufacturing establishments for the purpose of verifying transactions with government agencies and organizations, requiring outside written confirmations of accounts receivable and employing such other extended audit procedures as are necessary.

According to a press release, the Executive Law of 1972, Chapter 53.4 also provides that the Auditor General, or his designee is entitled to free access at all times to all files, documents and other records to the accounts of every Government Agency and Government organizations, and he is also entitled to require and receive from officials and employees such information as he may deem necessary for the proper performance of his duties. The release added that the Auditor General by law may station in any Government agency or government organization any person employed by the GAC to exercise more effectively the audit functions.

Meanwhile, to avoid misinformation and inconsistency in information dissemination, GAC'S Communication department is urging media institutions to seek clarity and inquiry from the department about the workings of GAC.