Controller and Auditor General (CAG), Mr Ludovick Utouh
In Summary
- Mr Utouh noted that the issue of transparency and accountability in the public sector should not only be left to the monopoly of the established oversight institutions, but should encompass citizen participation through civil society organisations and the media.
Dar es Salaam. The Controller and Auditor
General (CAG), Mr Ludovick Utouh, has appealed for transparency,
accountability and good governance in public funds management to enable
the government acquire adequate resources to meet its demands.
Mr Utouh noted that if public servants adhered to
such principles, it would result in maximum utilisation of the available
resources with minimum losses of funds through theft, fraud,
embezzlement or misuse. “The move to develop a mechanism of expanding
transparency and accountability in enhancing citizen participation in
the public audit process is indeed very timely and welcome,” he said.
He made the remarks yesterday in Dar es Salaam at a
workshop aimed at building capacity over advancing public participation
in the audit process in the country.
The workshop was attended by representatives from
the National Audit Office of Tanzania (NAOT), lawmakers, civil society
organisations and international experts.
Mr Utouh noted that the issue of transparency and
accountability in the public sector should not only be left to the
monopoly of the established oversight institutions, but should encompass
citizen participation through civil society organisations and the
media.
The objectives of the two-day workshop were to
facilitate a partnership between NAOT and civil societies on various
participatory audit mechanisms. The two parts were exposed to
experiences from other countries including Philippines, India and
Argentina which had representatives in the event.
The participants would also develop a work plan to roll out the implementation of citizen participation in the audit process.
Deputy chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee
on Local Authority Accounts Selemani Zedi said though the public was
involved in the audit of public funds, improvement in the way of citizen
participation was needed. Currently, the public is involved when local
authorities put on public notice boards audit information through which
they know budget allocations and expenditures in their areas.
For her part, Ms Chiara Bronchi, a public sector
specialist with the World Bank, said citizens’ understanding and active
monitoring of the public audit process was another possible vehicle to
enhance transparency and accountability in the use of public monies.
source: The citizen
source: The citizen
