The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Seth Kwame Acheampong, has admonished the Regional Health Service Audit Committee members to be firm, resolute and sincere in discharging their duties.

He stressed the need for members of the committee to uphold the principle of confidentiality, stating that they should be professional in the way they handle official information and data.

The Minister made these remarks during the inauguration of Eastern Regional Audit Committees of the Ghana Health Service on Tuesday in Koforidua.

He underscored the importance of reducing waste in managing and utilizing public funds, stressing that a sustainable economy cannot be built without ensuring value for money.

The Minister appealed to the Municipal and District Health Directorates in the region to give the audit committees the needed support,

This, he said, would help them to overcome minor infractions that often dent the image of public institutions in the eyes of the people whenever they appear before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.

On his part, the Director General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), Dr Eric Oduro Osae, said Section 86 of the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act, 2016, (ACT 921) calls for the establishment of Audit Committees in all public institutions.

He said these committees are created to ensure transparency and accountability in the public service.