SAI Ghana wins 2021 Best Performance Audit Report Prize
We are delighted to announce that the supreme audit institution of Ghana, the Ghana Audit Service, are the winners of the 2021 prize for the best performance audit report in the AFROSAI-E region.
The aim of the prize, which we launched in 2008 with support from the Swedish National Audit Office, is to encourage the development of performance audit in English-speaking Africa and highlight the efforts made by individual performance auditors.
As Chair of the Prize’s international jury, the Swedish National Audit Office leads the process of selecting the winner. Reports from Eritrea, The Gambia, Ghana, Mauritius, Tanzania, and Sudan were nominated for this year’s competition. All the contributions were very strong and mark a quality increase in performance audit reports in the region. “More and more countries with high-quality audit reports are participating in the competition, which is of course very positive. The performance audit at the supreme audit institutions ensures transparency and effective and appropriate use of public resources,” says Auditor General of Sweden, Helena Lindberg.
The independent international review team unanimously declared the Ghana Audit Service the winning audit report. The title of the winning report is “Provision of flood control drains” and sheds light on flooding in Ghana. In Ghana, as in many other countries, this form of natural disaster is increasingly common because of climate change. “The winning report has looked into the whole process of planning, implementing and maintenance of flood control drains in Ghana. The audit demonstrates ambitious and creative fieldwork, and identifies shortfall in delivery of planned work. The identification of bottlenecks could contribute to improvements in the provision of flood control drains,” says Jesper Antelius, Chair of the international review team.
This award represents the pinnacle of excellence demonstrated by SAIs in their efforts to develop the performance audit discipline. When we first announced this award in 2008, we hoped that it would encourage our region to share its experiences and best practices. And we’re pleased to report that this is still the case 14 years later. “The SAI of Ghana was our very first winner in 2008, and they have shown tenacity, perseverance, and commitment to replicate the same hunger and enthusiasm, by again winning the prize in 2021. We are proud of this accomplishment and applaud the SAI for their dedication to performance audit.” Meisie Nkau, AFROSAI-E CEO
The prize was presented by Auditor General Helena Lindberg at the 2022 AFROSAI-E Strategic Review and Governing Board meeting on 9 May. The audit team behind the winning audit report is invited for a study visit to the Swedish National Audit Office with the aim of exchanging knowledge and experience with Swedish colleagues.
