Emerita Professor Elizabeth Ardayfio-Schandorf, a representative of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS), has been elected as the new chairperson of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), the oversight body tasked with ensuring the prudent management and use of petroleum revenues.
She succeeds Professor Kwame Adom-Frimpong as chair of the Accountability Committee, having been unanimously elected by her members of the committee.
After serving a one-year tenure, Emerita Professor Ardayfio-Schandorf will become the first female chairperson since PIAC’s inception.
Meanwhile eight new Members of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) have been sworn into office 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).
The new members are Sena Dake, representing the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG); Ransford Tetteh, representing the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA); Richard Ellimah, representing civil society organisations (CSOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs); and Edward Yaw Afriyie, representing the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI).
The rest are Dr. Noble Ibrahim Adjin Lartey, representing the Muslim groups; Constantine Kudzedzi, representing the Christian groups; and Christopher Opoku Nyarko, representing the Ghana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GHEITI).
The tenure of the representative of the National House of Chiefs, Odeefuo Amoakwa Buadu VIII, was renewed by his nominating institution.
The Chief Director at the Ministry of Finance, Eva Mends, swore the eight into office at a brief ceremony in Accra.
Madam Mends charged them to continue working collaboratively with the Ministry and other relevant stakeholders to ensure effective management of petroleum revenues for the benefit of Ghanaians.