Liberia: GAC Auditor General Jackson Warns of Tough Sanctions Against Ministries, Agencies Failing to Submit Financial Statements on Time   - FrontPageAfrica

Monrovia – Auditor General P. Garswa Jackson has outlined punitive measures being taken by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning against heads and comptrollers of various government ministries and agencies for delaying the submission of their financial statements for the conduct of audits. 

By Obediah Johnson, obediah.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

According to him, the Public Financial Management law of Liberia mandates every government ministry and agency to prepare and submit financial statements to the offices of the Auditor General and Comptroller General two months after the end of every fiscal year.

Jackson said this measure, which is intended to promote accountability and transparency and hold public officials accountable for their stewardship, was consistently violated before his ascendancy at the GAC.  

He made these comments when he appeared as a guest on state radio ELBC on Monday, May 11.

He pointed out that following the submission of these financial statements by line government ministries and agencies, the offices of the Auditor General and Comptroller General consolidate those statements and prepare consolidated fund financial statements for the GAC to conduct audits.

“Although we have not been able to perform the 300 audits within our mandate, we have regularized the audits of the consolidated financial statements, which means we have been able to audit the government of Liberia every single year. This is a major achievement because, before I became Auditor General, the consolidated financial statements were unaudited for two years. This was not the fault of the GAC. The GAC had always been a place to perform these audits, but the Ministry of Finance was not preparing or submitting these financial statements to the office of the Auditor General,” he noted.

Jackson disclosed that only 40% of those heading various government ministries and agencies were timely in submitting their financial statements prior to taking over the GAC.

To address the situation, Jackson pointed out that his office built a relationship with the ministry of finance to ensure that salaries of heads and comptrollers of various government ministries and agencies are withheld as part of punitive measures for delaying the submission of their financial statements.

He further disclosed that the GAC has conducted several unprecedented audits under this current administration for the first time in Liberia.

He named those audits as ones conducted on the office of the President (Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs), the National Legislature, the Judiciary branch, the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), the Civil Service payroll, domestic debts, revenue system reconciliation audits, amongst others.

“This is the first time the GAC has been able to perform this audit on the office of the President at the Ministry of State. This sets a precedent that absolutely no office or public official in the country is exempt from accounting for what they used from public resources. Sometimes people say, ‘The GAC is putting out these reports, and nothing is happening.’ We can only execute our mandates,” he added.

Jackson emphasized that audit reports from the commission are submitted to the National Legislature, through its Public Accounts Committee (GAC), to conduct public hearings and advance recommendations to the office of the President for action.

He stated that the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) can also investigate these reports and prosecute those involved.

He stressed that the conduct of audits in Liberia is essential to ensure that finances allocated to improve the provision of public services to Liberians.

Jackson observed that though some government ministries and agencies are not implementing recommendations contained in the audit reports released by the GAC, a huge number of others are cooperating.

He, however, vowed to name and shame those institutions that are failing to take action on these audit recommendations at the appropriate time.

Auditor General P. Garswa JacksonGeneral Auditing Commission (GAC)