Finance Minister inaugurates new internal audit agency board to drive accountability reforms
The government has inaugurated a new governing board for the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), charging its members with spearheading reforms aimed at reducing waste in the public sector, strengthening accountability, and ensuring value for money in the management of state resources.
The nine-member board was sworn into office by the Minister for Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, who called on the members to reposition the Agency and address longstanding weaknesses in public financial management highlighted in successive Auditor-General’s reports.
A key responsibility of the board will be to oversee the review of the Internal Audit Agency Act, 2003, and implement measures designed to strengthen the Agency’s mandate, independence, and operational effectiveness.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on June 13, 2026, Dr Forson stressed the need to restore public confidence in Ghana’s financial management systems and improve oversight across state institutions.
“We must turn the Internal Audit Agency around and restore it to the purpose for which it was established,” he said.
According to the Finance Minister, recurring irregularities identified in Auditor-General’s reports point to weaknesses in accountability structures and shortcomings in the internal audit functions of many public institutions.
He urged the board to develop effective strategies to improve compliance and ensure that internal auditors who fail to discharge their responsibilities are held accountable.
“The level of waste is too high, and the Ghanaian taxpayer is losing too much. We need to find a way to fix it,” Dr Forson stated.
He also emphasized the importance of strengthening professional development programmes to equip internal auditors with the skills and expertise required to enhance risk management and improve financial controls within the public sector.
Dr Forson noted that the reforms at the Internal Audit Agency form part of the government’s broader fiscal and governance agenda aimed at improving transparency, restoring confidence in public finances, and ensuring prudent management of public resources.
The newly constituted board comprises professionals with expertise in internal auditing, finance, accountancy, and human resource management. Members have been tasked with developing initiatives that will strengthen accountability systems and enhance the Agency’s impact across the public sector.
Responding on behalf of the board, Chairperson Joshua Yindenaba Abor described the appointment as a “noble call to duty” and pledged the board’s commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and value for money in public administration.
Professor Abor assured the Finance Minister that the board would work diligently to strengthen the Internal Audit Agency and support its mandate of improving governance, financial discipline, and institutional accountability throughout the public sector.
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