The Association of Palestinian Local Authorities in cooperation with GIZ's Local Governance Reform Program organized a specialized workshop titled “Local Authority Audit and Control Departments', with the participants of the Ministry of Local Governments, State Audit & Administrative Control Bureau (SAACB), and a group of Palestinian Municipalities' Mayors and staff.
APLA's President Eng. Mousa Hadid started the workshop by welcoming all participants followed by displaying APLA's pioneer role in promoting Local Authorities' potentials on various levels, stating that APLA is working on developing a comprehensive program of specialized training courses and workshops during the next phase. Eng. Hadid clarified that this workshop is arranged following the request of a group of Palestinian Municipalities and as a result of APLA and the Local Authorities' interest in internal control and audit.
Ramallah Municipal Council Member and the former Head of the Ramallah Municipality Audit & Control Department Mr. Maher Al-Natour displayed the stages of building and developing an Internal Control Unit in Ramallah Municipality and the importance of establishing such unit in municipal work, Mr. Al-Natour also explained the vitality of the control unit from the Municipal Council perspective.
Director of Local Government Audit Department in SAACB Mr. Omar Yassin explained their methodology in controlling Local Authorities and the main procedures and regulatory work that primarily assure the safety of the financial activity, guarantee effective performance, good use of authority, and how the financial and administrative activity fit the laws, regulations, controls, and decisions in force.
General Director of the Supervision and Control Department at the Ministry of Local Government Mr. Raed Sharabati presented the role played by the Ministry in municipal internal control, along with mentioning the focal development policies of supervision and control tools on Local Authorities work from the Ministry perspective, and the Local Authorities internal control procedures.
Financial and Administrative Control in Ramallah Municipalities Suhair Assaf revealed the municipal control unit experience, starting from the unit structure and its role, detailed work, the followed auditing procedures and finally ending it with the unit's internal control plan for Ramallah Municipality next year.
