PAC Cautions Assemblies Over Poor Documentation and Record-Keeping

Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) has cautioned Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) against poor filing of documents and record- keeping.

According to the Committee, the rampant issues of poor documentation of officials document captured in the 2015/2016 Auditor General Reports was alarming and unpardonable.

Almost all the assemblies that appeared before the Public Accounts Committee have had issue(s) on documents which could not be produce at the time the Audit Services visited their offices.
In some instance, documents that are reportedly missing during auditing, suddenly found their way back soon after the Auditing.

At other assemblies, funds are either disbursed without proper document, Value Added Tax payment done without receipts and invoices, impress unaccounted, tax withholding, poor validation of records, nonpayment or collection of rent from official bungalows, among other infractions.

Experts says, record keeping is an essential part of administrative practice with public and civil servant as well as legal significance.

Good quality record keeping is linked with improvements in development progress, and in nursing or hospitals, it links to improvement of patient care, while poor standards of documentation are regarded as contributing to poor quality services.

The quality of auditing documentation has consistently been found to be failing to meet recommended standards among assemblies.

This,, a member of the Public Accounts Committee, Hon Samuel Atta Mills, expressed concern on poor and improper record-keeping practice and called for document filing management courses for staff of assemblies and institution to enhance good quality record keeping.

In his view, such file management courses would help eliminate the factors that prevent assemblies from achieving good documentation standards.

Hon Atta Mills also attributed the poor record keeping among assemblies in remotes districts to impunity and recklessness by officers who believed their deeds would never be known by high authorities.

Chairman of the Committee, Dr James Klutse Avedzi , expressed worry about the continue reports of infraction in district assemblies and institutions .

He said, the Committee has taken notice of the issue of record keeping and would factor it in their  report to Parliament.

He added that the Committee recommendation would look at ways that documentation standards could be improved and the impact that accountability has on record-keeping practices at  public administration.

Source: therepublicnewsonline.com/Felix Nyaaba