By S. Siapha Mulbah
Auditors at the Internal Audit Agency are calling for compliance and cooperation between their section and the authorities of various government entities to have achievable outcomes in the public sector.
The auditors want the heads of ministries and agencies of government to create an environment that will enable members of their team to have access to the entity’s records, most especially the procurement, financial, and budget laws, among others.
Speaking at the start of a two-day roundtable conference, organized by the Internal Audit Agency to release the first edition of the public sector compliance scorecard, IAA Director General, David Kemah, reiterated that the scorecard is meant to improve performance in government, as well as improve auditing functions for transparency in the public and private sectors.
He added that the IAA has worked on the automation of the mechanisms used to audit and developed a stamp that will be used in validating documents during the process of auditing, which is a means to enhance the work of the entity by settling time issues and other constraints.
According to Kemah, the reforms will give the anti-graft body the opportunity to generate a lot more analytical information to help them make decisions on how to minimize risk and improve efficiency and effectiveness in the public sector.
The key priority areas captured under the scorecard are: budgetary controls and pre-disbursement compliance, audit recommendations, payroll and personal management system.
Others are accounting, revenue management, and bank reconciliation, as well as procurement controls and asset management system.
“What we will be showing you here today is a three part document. The final scores that will be supported by the indicators, the areas of concentration and the methodology used to derive the numbers presented to all heads of the entities in the public sector,” he said.
The IAA boss disclosed that nearly all government entities have been scored, according to data provided from the internal auditors, except for very few that are still reporting data as the process is expected to end very soon.
In a remark, the Deputy Director General for Audit Services, James KerKulah, buttressed Director Kemah on the point that the Scorecard is part of the agency’s strategic goals.
According to Kerkulah, the IAA has a strategic goal in its quest to help the public have the right things done in the right manner.
He said, “This roundtable is focused on the fourth point of our strategic goal which talks about a scorecard on compliance and effective stakeholder’s engagement.”
The auditor revealed that the internal auditors at ministries and agencies need a smooth collaboration and flexible working relationship with the heads of the entities under review to carry out professional and transparent duties.
He called on public sector actors to see auditors as workmates when assigned at their respective institutions to carry out specific functions.
“We as auditors are at the various entities to observe compliance and follow the chain of financial flow and law efficiency, and that can only be possible if we work together for a singular goal. We are urging authorities to open up to us in getting the right information during our exercises,” he added.
