There are a lot of problems and issues of accountability in the public sector, so most often we ask why is public accountability important,
In this article, we will answer the question of why is public sector accountability important of public accountability since public accountability had become an issue and problem to deal with it, sometimes making people ask the aforementioned questions.
Accountability in the public sector is the obligation to provide answers and explanations for one’s actions to those who have a legal right to request them or who have a reasonable expectation of receiving them.
why is public accountability important
Financial Accountability in the Public Sector essentially means that those responsible for implementing public policies using public resources should be required to explain their actions to their electorate, which may be a composite of interest groups of individuals and institutions.
Reasons or Justifications for Accountability
Financial responsibility is required since the Executive in Public Sector organizations obtains financial resources from citizens or contracts on their behalf.
This establishes an accountability relationship, with the government accountable for how these revenues are spent. It demands governments to justify the raising of public funds and their usage to the citizens.
Aristotle emphasizes this concept when he states, “To safeguard the Treasury against fraud, all public money should be issued openly in front of the entire city, and copies of the accounts should be lodged in the several wards.
” This implies the importance of fiscal openness and accountability in the management of public funds.
This accountability can be ensured by the establishment of appropriate government accounting systems that track all types of public financial resources.
LIST FOUR IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
- Compliance with ethical standards:
- Optimal resource utilization
- Objectivity
- Balances and checks
why is public accountability important
Accountability is a pillar of public service. It is Importance for the following reasons:
1. Rewarding ethical behavior and penalizing unethical behavior
Public workers who are ethical should be rewarded, while those who are unethical should be penalized.
As stated in the phrase, “Justice should not only be done but also shown to be done.” Accountability becomes the mechanism via which the public service earns and regains the people’s trust.
2. Compliance with ethical standards:
It assures compliance with applicable ethical standards.
3. Optimal resource utilization:
It ensures that resources are best utilized – that the greatest benefit is done for the largest number – by adhering to the utilitarian principle.
4. Objectivity:
Accountability enables the public to see the individual’s/actions organization’s in their entirety.
How may public service accountability be improved?
5.Balances and checks:
The procedures that must be followed should incorporate adequate checks and balances to ensure accountability. A timely and thorough audit can assist in accomplishing this.
The Financial Control Concept
Another way to ensure correct accountability is through effective resource management, which includes both public revenues and expenditures. Income, expenditure, commitments, and budgets are all performance indicators that will be required during the control process.
Revenues Control is commonly defined as the process of ensuring that all government earnings, regardless of their source, are paid into the government’s primary account, i.e. the Consolidated Fund.
The Government’s various revenue collecting agencies are directed to guarantee that monies produced are logged into specified accounts for subsequent transfer to the Government’s Bank of Ghana accounts.
SUMMARY
Accountability refers to the need to provide explanations and justifications for one’s acts to those who have the legal right to request them.
Financial Accountability in the Public Sector fundamentally means that people responsible for implementing public policies through the use of public resources should be forced to explain their actions to their constituents.