Internal Audit, Ministry of Finance has ended a regional workshop in Makeni, North of Sierra Leone. The training brought together internal audit committee members from various local councils including Bombali, Koinadugu, Karene, Port Loko, Western Area and among others.
Speaking on the essence of the training, Kandeh Sessay – Internal Audit Director, Ministry of Finance said, the primary focus is for trainees to know their roles and responsibilities in other to enhance effective and efficient operations of respective local councils across the country.
He further explained that, the mandate of committee members of the internal audit is to look at both internal and external audit reports and ensure that management adhere to recommendations being proffered. Also, Mr. Sesay stated that, internal audit committee members have wide range of responsibilities including setting up timeline for the implementation of recommendations and follow up on outcome of meetings by management of councils.
As newly appointed internal audit committee members, they were introduced to laws and regulations of internal auditing. Taking them through these legal instruments, Deputy Director of Internal Audit – Abdulrahman Koroma lays emphasis on the Public Financial Management Acts of 2016 and 2018 respectively. He went on to explain that, these existing laws or regulations among other things aim to enhance prudent financial management and accountability through internal auditing and risk management. Therefore, he added, training these committee members on these rules will better inform them on their mandate as audit committee members in the 22 local councils across the country.
Mr. Koroma further explained that, internal auditing is a borrowed concept from the private sector and it key objective is to foster good corporate governance through transparency, accountability and other best practices that promote efficient management of public funds. On the responsibility of this committee, he mentioned oversight role as one of the functions of internal audit members; and they should perform such role independently so that compliance could be enforced to management or administration of councils, he emphasized.
Another important function being carried out by committee members of internal audit at councils according to Abdulrahman is on the area of risk management so that the operations of these entities cannot be hampered either by financial risks or other risk factors that could lead to low performance.
Deputy Director of Internal Audit continued that, internal audit committee members should not be current staff working for local councils but people from various backgrounds with wealth of experience in financial management, auditing, administration and other related areas that could work independently.
For trainees, the workshop was an eye-opener to perform their duties as internal audit committee members at various councils. Easter Diba Songo from Port Loko District Council said, the training was not only timely but also educative as topical issues like laws and regulations governing internal auditing, public financial management, risk management and others were discussed.
Aiah Umaro Junisa from Koinadugu District Council applauds internal audit in the Ministry of Finance and partners for rolling out a training which according to him has been an added tool on his work as internal auditor.
Abdulai Kallon – Internal Auditor, Western Area Rural District is poised to implement lessons learnt so that set objectives of internal auditing would be achieved.
