The Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF) Mr. Anthony Mkpe Ayine has emphasized that President Muhammadu Buhari’s desire and concern for transparency and accountability in governance need a strong audit institution to drive it.
Mr Ayine made this pronouncement when the Auditor-General for African Development Bank Group, Mr. Chukwuma Okonkwo paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja on Wednesday, 8th November, 2017.
Mr. Ayine who expressed his delight for the visit described it as significant and assuring. He applauded Mr. Okonkwo’s initiative to visit the Office, his first since his appointment. He said the visit was a demonstration of the love the Auditor-General has for the profession.
The AuGF was delighted over the willingness of the African Development Bank Group to assist the Office in capacity building and to partner with the Office. He therefore appealed for capacity building in the areas of Internet Technology including support for Internet Technology infrastructure, Performance audit, Forensic audit and other specialized areas of training necessary and useful for auditors but which the Office cannot cope with due to limited funds.
According to the AUGF assistance in these critical areas to update the skills of auditors will be heartwarming and it will spur the officers to do much more than they are doing now. It will also ensure that they deliver effectively on the mandate given to the Office.
Mr. Ayine also solicited support for the passage of the Audit Bill to law to ensure the legal, administrative, operational and financial independence of the Office.
Earlier in his speech the Auditor-General for African Development Bank Group, Mr. Chukwuma Okonkwo remarked that auditors are constantly faced with challenges. He therefore advised on the importance and necessity for the Office to interact with like minds for the common good of the profession. Stating that audit work is partnership.
Mr. Okonkwo who acknowledged the dearth of equipments to do audit work in most audit institutions pledged the willingness of the African Development Bank Group to help the Office with capacity building and other creative ways like exchange programmes to help the Office develop its capacity to be effective and discharge its mandate efficiently.
Ogunmosunle, O. A
DD (Media &Public Relations)
9th November, 2017