Eight new Members of the Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) have been sworn into office.
The new members included the Board Chair of the Ghana News Agency, Nana Kwaku Dei (Mr. Ransford Tetteh) representing the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), and Ms Sena Dake representing the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAG).
Others are Mr Richard Ellimah, representing Civil Society (CSOs)/Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), and Mr Edward Yaw Afriyie, representing the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI).
The rest are Dr Noble Ibrahim Adjin Lartey, representing the Muslim Groups, Mr Constantine Kudzedzi, representing the Christian Groups, and Mr Christopher Opoku Nyarko, representing the Ghana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GHEITI).
Odeefuo Amoakwa Buadu VIII, representing the National House of Chiefs had his tenure renewed by his nominating institution.
The new members who took over from predecessors of the PIAC nominating institutions are to serve either a 2-year renewable term or a 3-year non-renewable term on the Committee in line with the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815).
Ms Eva Mends, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy to the eight-member committee at a ceremony on October 20, 2023.
She congratulated the new Members and urged them to work as a team to promote the work of PIAC as an independent oversight body promoting transparency and accountability in the management of petroleum revenues.
She commended the outgoing members for the good work done in line with the mandate of PIAC and wished them well.
Ms Mend said the Ministry of Finance would continue to take great interest in the work of PIAC, as it was anchored on the government’s commitment to ensure the prudent management of its expenditure.
She also urged the new Members to collaborate with the Ministry to collectively ensure that petroleum revenues benefit all citizens.
On behalf of the committee, Odeefuo Amoakwa Buadu VIII expressed gratitude to their nominating institutions and the Ministry for the opportunity to serve on the Committee and to help fulfill the mandate of PIAC.
He expressed the readiness of members to work together to help ensure that petroleum revenues are managed and utilised efficiently.
Odeefuor Amoakwa Buadu VIII also used the opportunity to pay glowing tribute to the previous Members of PIAC who served on the Committee.