Rationalise our conditions of service by December 2024 – IAA

The Internal Audit Agency (IAA), has called on Cabinet, Parliament and the Ministry of Finance to fast track the ongoing restructuring process to address the worsening Conditions of Service of their staff.It said if the process was completed before the end of December 2024, it would enable internal auditors across the country to start the 2025 year with a lot more confidence and motivate them more to reduce irregularities and professional abuse in the sector.Speaking at a media soiree, Prof Adom Frimpong, Board Member, Internal Audit Agency (IAA), said the staff had been the gatekeepers and must therefore be adequately resourced to keep the gates properly closed.He said if the Internal Audit Agency (Amendment) Bill 2024 was passed, conditions of service of internal auditors can be improved, their independence, objectivity and professionalism could be properly safeguarded.Prof Adom who spoke on behalf of Mr Joseph Winful, Board Chair, IAA, said despite the sad conditions, the internal auditors had save d the nation over GHS 5 billion cedis by preventing irregularities as stated in the 2023 Auditor-General's report.'These monies could have gone down the drain or find its way into private pockets had it not been the diligence of internal auditors,' he said.He said to eliminate corruption, bribery and other forms of irregularities with the use of public funds, the State's reluctance to adequately resource internal Auditors, would be injurious to the country's growth especially as we kept them hungry.Dr Eric Oduro Osae, Director General, IAA, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said, irregularities across the public sector had reduced by 32 per cent due to the professional and vigilance of internal auditors.He said anytime the external auditors were ready to conduct their audits, the first thing they looked for is the internal audit report and the recommendations they made were implemented by the internal auditors and audit committees.The Agency as part of winding down for the year, call ed on it members to remain professional as demanded by the ethics of their profession in the election year.Source: Ghana News Agency