The Internal Audit Agency as part of its mandate to train Internal Auditors, has rolled out a Nationwide training for Internal Auditors on the preparation of the 2023 Risk-Based Internal Audit (RBIA) Workplan. The Northern Sector training was held at the University of Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale from 12th -13th October, 2022.
The 2-day training programme was aimed at equipping staff of Internal Audit Units (IAUs) in public institutions with the requisite skills to prepare and submit the 2023 RBIA workplans in compliance with the Agency’s standards.
Mr. Offei-Mensah, Deputy Director-General (Technical and Fields Operations) said the training was organised in appreciation of ongoing reforms in Public Sector Internal Audit (PSIA) in promoting the practice of RBIA to avert and reduce irregularities associated with the management of public funds. He charged participants to work with Audit Committees in the pursuance of implementation of Audit Report recommendations and especially the 2021 Auditor-General’s Report and Management Letter.
The Deputy Director-General noted that in line with its mandate, the Agency has issued guidelines for the preparation of the 2023 Risk-Based Internal Audit Plan with mandatory thrust areas to be considered in addition to areas identified through the institution’s risk assessment process.
In conclusion, Mr. Offei- Mensah reminded participants of the deadlines for submitting the 2022 3rd Quarter Internal Audit Report and Annual Internal Audit Performance Report (AIAPR) as 31st October, 2022 and 31st December, 2022 respectively.
The Regional Director of Audit, Mr. Saani Issa in a welcome address read on behalf of the Regional Minister said the Regional Minister appreciates the role of internal audit and tasked participants to rise up to the challenge of ensuring a zero-defaulting institution in the region and give IAA nothing to publish in the year 2023.
Mr. Nurudeen Issah Alhassan, Registrar of the UDS welcomed participants to the programme on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor and pledged the University’s support. He said it was his hope that the training would help save the public purse and bring development to Tamale and the Northern Region as a whole. The Registrar encouraged participants to commit themselves to the knowledge being impacted.
