The Supreme State Audit Office yesterday, March 14 organised a two-day forum in Yaounde.

The Supreme State Audit Office has set out to promote the values of transparency and performance in managing and the safeguard of public funds, as well as to achieve new attitudes in which public property is used to serve the general interest.

The Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of the Supreme State Audit, Henri Eyebe Ayissi, made the declaration in Yaounde, March 14, 2012 as he chaired the opening ceremony of a two-day National Forum on Non-judicial Protection of Public Funds. Mr Eyebe Ayissi used the occasion to stress that it was time for action in punishing managers who misappropriate or embezzle public funds. The Supreme State Audit Office, he said, will intensify disciplinary, financial and penal sanctions against managers who misappropriate and mismanage public funds and property.

The National Forum on Non-judicial Protection of Public Funds, the Minister stated, was therefore a consultation session to sensitise national and international opinion on the diverse and rich national mechanism and also to diagnose its functioning. This is intended to arrive at recommendations to reinforce its effectiveness. The forum brings together partners of the national mechanism for the non-judicial prevention, control and punishment of the mismanagement of public funds.

Government officials, partners and members of the civil society organisations attending the forum will learn more about the national non-judicial bodies and institutions to safeguard public finances. For instance, the Supreme State Audit Office in charge of the external audit of public finances, operates at the highest level. Other institutions include the Audit Bench of the Supreme Court, National Agency for Financial Investigation (ANIF), National Anti-corruption Commission (NACC), Inspectorates General of Ministries, finance controls and other services and brigades of the ministries of Finance and Economy.

The Yaounde forum serves as an occasion to clear misgivings regarding the actions of the bodies, confusion in their roles and responsibilities, that all lead to lack of clarity in the eyes of many observers as concerns the results achieved. It is also helping to clarify the roles and competences of each component of the mechanism and strengthens its efficiency. Participants will at the closing ceremony this afternoon, propose ways of reinforcing the effectiveness of the mechanism.