Auditor-General to introduce e-tracking system to monitor implementation of audit recommendations

Ghana’s Auditor-General, Dr Pamela Graham, has revealed plans to launch an electronic tracking system called the e-tracker. This system will monitor the implementation of recommendations made in the Auditor-General’s reports, allowing the public to track how Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as other public institutions, are addressing financial irregularities and infractions.

Dr Graham discussed this initiative during a visit to the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) and other anti-corruption institutions in Accra, aiming to enhance collaboration in the fight against corruption and promote accountability within the public sector. The primary goal is to address the insufficient follow-up actions taken after the publication of audit reports, emphasizing that identifying irregularities alone is insufficient without concrete measures for accountability.

Although audit reports are reviewed by Parliament through the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), further steps are needed to ensure that the issues identified are properly investigated and resolved. Dr Graham highlighted that institutions like the Internal Audit Agency and others play crucial roles in preventing the repetition of infractions.

The e-tracker will enable citizens to follow the recommendations made by the Audit Service and evaluate the extent to which public institutions are implementing them. The Auditor-General emphasized the necessity of collaboration among anti-corruption institutions, civil society organizations, and the media, noting that the Audit Service alone cannot guarantee that its findings lead to meaningful action.

She stressed that while the Audit Service is one voice, collective collaboration, including active participation from the public, is crucial for translating findings into positive outcomes. Mrs Beauty Emefa Narteh, Executive Secretary of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, welcomed Dr Graham’s engagement with anti-corruption institutions, describing it as a positive step towards accountability and institutional collaboration.

She described the visit as historic, as it marked the first time an Auditor-General had directly engaged with the Coalition. Mrs Narteh highlighted the significance of the Ghana Audit Service’s membership in GACC and urged the Auditor-General’s office to establish structured and regular meetings with civil society organizations to foster information sharing and identify areas needing improvement.

She also encouraged other public institutions to engage in collaboration, insisting that no institution can effectively fulfill its mandate in isolation.