PIAC dysfunctional as minister refuses to swear-in new members
Adnan Adams Mohammed
The Public Interest and Accountability Committee
(PIAC), an independent statutory body mandated to promote transparency and
accountability in the management of petroleum revenues in the country has been
inactive for some period now as the Energy Minister refuses to swear-in new
nominees including the Chairman whose tenure has elapsed.
According to reliable information picked, the
current committee has its mandate elapsed for some months now which has got new
members nominated by representing institutions and associations and ready to be
sworn-in so they could assume their oversight work as mandated.
From the source of information close to the
Committee, the minister was supposed to swear-in the new members before
November, but gave an excuse that they were busy with the budget preparation.
“Ironically, the budget had been prepared and
presented over a month ago, yet the ministry is not showing any interest in the
swearing-in. An event that takes less than 30 minutes to undertake”, the source
lamented on anonymity.
The mission of PIAC is to be committed to
ensuring efficient, transparent and accountable management of petroleum
revenues and investments to secure the greatest social and economic benefit for
the people of Ghana through active engagement with the government and citizens.
This is to be accomplished by maintaining a balanced stance, exhibiting high
integrity and remaining independent of sectional influences.
The statutory Accountability Committee has three
main objects as outlined in the Petroleum Revenue Management Act. These are; to
monitor and evaluate compliance with the Act by government and relevant
institutions in the management and use of petroleum revenues and investments;
to provide space and platform for the public to debate on whether spending
prospects and management and use of revenues conform to development priorities
as provided under section 21 (3); and to provide independent assessment on the
management and use of petroleum revenues to assist parliament and the executive
in the oversight and the performance of related functions.
Also, the Committee’s functions include; to
consult widely on best practice related to the management and use of petroleum
revenues; and determine the rules of procedure under which it will operate.
The current Committee Members are:
Dr Steve Manteaw, Chairman, representing Ghana
Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GHEITI) with Dr Thomas Kojo
Stephens as Vice Chairman, representing Ghana Bar Association (GBA).
Other members are:
Mr Joseph Winful, Member, representing
Association of Chartered Accountants, Ghana; Dr. Affail Monney,
Member, representing Ghana Journalists Association (GJA); Prof. Albert Fiadjoe,
Member, representing Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS); Alhaji Alhassan
Abdulai, Member, representing Muslim Groups; and Mr. Noble Wadzah, Member,
representing Civil Society & Community-Based Organisations.
0 comments: