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Commonwealth Internal Audit exchange programme ends
Accra, March 7, Ghanadot/GNA – Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani, Minister
for Presidential Affairs, on Friday called for continuous
education to sharpen the skills of internal auditors to
enable them to assist managements to constantly improve on
public sector financial accountability.
He said such education was needed since internal auditing
was essential for proper functioning of every institution by
bringing a systematic and disciplined approach to evaluating
and improving the effectiveness of the risk management,
control and governance processes.
Mr. Mpiani said this in a speech read on his behalf by Mr L.
T. Tusoe, Chief Director, Ministry for Presidential Affairs,
at the closing of a three-week Ghana-Commonwealth Internal
Audit Exchange Programme hosted in Accra.
Internal auditors from nine Commonwealth countries,
including Malawi, Mauritius, Zambia, Tanzania, Bostwana,
Tonga and Ghana attended the first ever programme to be held
in the West African sub-region.
The programme, co-organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat
and the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), afforded participants
the opportunity to share country experiences and learn other
practices from member states.
Mr. Mpiani urged participants to apply skills, knowledge and
competencies acquired to help improve the practice of public
sector internal auditing in their various countries by
resolving as individuals to implement positive changes in
their fields of work.
Mr. Patrick Numo, Director General, Internal Audit Agency,
said participants were taken through 17 sessions of
presentations on risk management, internal controls,
governance processes, internal audit planning, execution and
reporting, among other things, to help improve their
understanding of their roles as internal auditors in the
public sector of their respective countries.
He said participants were also attached to some of the
public institutions in Ghana as interns to get first hand
information on internal auditing.
Mr Kaifala Marah, Advisor, Public Expenditure Management,
Commonwealth Secretariat, advised participants to, as they
return to their various countries, "avoid big bang reforms,
always ask questions and avoid the tread mill paradox".
He advised that they should move systematically as they
introduced internal control and audit machinery in their
jurisdiction.
"You should adopt policies that could be effectively
implemented to achieve desired results. Always review,
monitor and evaluate your systems and processes by asking
questions and by assessing yourselves."
GNA
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