The Audit Service has stated that internal auditors need autonomy to help end corruption in the country because they were the custodians of accountability but weakened by “employer dominance and political interference”.
It noted that
it must be granted full independence to deliver on its mandate to save the
nation from losses it has been incurring over the years and should not be coerced
into producing shoddy works.
Yao Domelevo, the Auditor-General, made this
known when he opened the third Bi-Annual Conference of Regional Auditors in Ho
in the Volta Region on the theme: ‘In the Era of Disallowance and Surcharge,
the Role of the Regional Auditors’ to offer the participants an engagement with
stakeholders, and strategise towards making the Service more effective and
efficient.
According to him, “we need to take a second look
at internal audit, they can be likened to eyes and ears of management, they are
with the institution, can save the country from losses incurring over the years
but weakened and don’t have independence to do their work.
“The burden of audit lay on shoulders of
internal audit unit, and must show strength in face of work related challenges,
must not be threatened into producing shoddy work, let’s not take risk
associated with our office as an excuse of non-performance since it is part of
occupational hazard, accept and drive on for God and for Country, and not for
our personal interest.
“The concept of protecting public purse
hinges on the government’s fiscal responsibility, strategic allocation of
resources, efficient and effective service delivery, elimination of corruption,
major threat that must be fought.
“Let’s not be afraid in fighting corruption
because when we fight corruption, it will fight you back, when they praise us
too much it means you are a bad auditor, the public must collaborate more with
the service, it was not formed to witch-hunt individuals and organisations,”
Mr Domelevo pointed out.
Raphael
Darku, Volta Regional Auditor, lamented that institutions were repeating same
infractions year after year with no significant improvement, and was hopeful
audit committees at various Assemblies would work effectively and efficiently
to minimise infractions and violations. -GNA
