East Sepik administration audit committee launched again

East Sepik Provincial Administration, in an effort to strengthen good governance, has launched its Audit Committee for the second time.

This milestone event was facilitated by the Department of Finance's Public Sector Audit Program [PSAP] on Friday last week in Wewak.

ESPA Audit Committee now revived will give a boost to the Provincial Internal Audit & Investigation Division [PIAID], a 4-men team that has made significant progress since 2024.

East Sepik Provincial Administration Audit Committee Chairman and Secretary for Department of Finance Samuel Penias emphasized the need to improve accountability in the public sector.

"Improving governance at this level is not just a technical necessity. It is about restoring trust, empowering communities, and entrusting public resources that serve public interest, " Penias said.

East Sepik Acting Provincial Administrator Alphonse Kami also shared similar sentiments.

"We need boards and committees in place to strengthen our system," he said.

The relaunching of the Provincial Audit Committee also gives full authority to the Provincial Internal Audit & Investigation Division [PIAID] to perform their duties.

According to Provincial Internal Auditor Andrew Numbasa, previous investigations made were authorized by the Provincial Administrator under Section 9 of Public Finance Management Act [PFMA].

In addition to the successful relaunching of the Audit Committee, Mr. Penias and his team presented 2 desktops with UPS, a printer, and a binder to support PIAID.

Although the East Sepik Provincial Administration Audit Committee was first launched in 2020, this revival shows the commitment of three [3] key organizations - Department of Finance, Auditor General's Office, and the East Sepik Provincial Administration.