Forum calls for independence of MDAs audit departments

The management of the various Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been called upon to ensure that the internal audits independence is guaranteed and devoid of undue influence from management.

The call was made by the Forum of Heads of Internal Audit of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions in a communique made available to newsmen in Calabar on Monday at the end of its annual summit.

The theme of the summit was: “A well-equipped and functional audit department: A Priceless Asset to any Organisation.”

In the communique signed by its chairman, Dr Okpachui Jackson and Secretary, Iregbu Richard, the Forum also called for the employment of adequate and skilled manpower to the MDAs.

It said in furtherance of the government’s endeavour on the Public Finance Management Reform, full access rights should be granted to the auditors to the relevant electronic platforms to enable them perform their statutory functions effectively.

While calling for regular and training and retraining for the internal auditors of the MDAs, the forum said that adequate information technology should be put in pmace to make their job easier.

The Forum decried absence of management backup needed to give the internal auditors the required authority and support to fuxntin effectively.

“All the resource persons identified the difficulties that the internal auditors face in the course of carrying out their duties.

“These include their lack of independence, undue influence and the absence of enabling environments to function optimally.

Other challenges include absence of skilled and adequate manpower, lack of access to relevant platforms such as IPPIS l, GIFMIS, REMITA and lack of access to circulars and reference materials,” it stated.

It concluded that once government bring to bear its recommendations, it would enhance and efficient and effective internal audit department in the MDAs.