Makers and Partners empowers MoFA internal auditors on forensic investigation

 Makers and Partners, a chartered accountancy firm licensed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana, has organized a capacity building workshop for 25 Internal Auditors of the Ministry of Food and

 Agriculture (MoFA).

The workshop aimed at sharing insights and expertise to equip the Internal Auditors of MoFA with the requisite skills for forensic investigation to enable them safeguard MoFA from internal threats, such as fraud, misconduct, and abuse.

Participants were taken through the intricacies of effective planning of an investigation, the team leant practical and useful skills for evidence gathering and preservation using the appropriate techniques and tools including adequate documentation to procedures performed to obtain evidence.

Speaking during the training in Accra,  Thursday, Mr Alfred Aryee, Partner, Makers and Partners, said the project was part of the Firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility, involving reaching out to governmental institutions to assist in the fight against fraud.

 He stated that because the Firm’s frontliners are members of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), this would also create a platform to share past experiences in fraud- related issues.

Mr Aryee stated that the gesture was intended to build capacity and give free training for internal auditors so they could undertake forensic audits and report their results.

He stated that the Auditor General’s (AG) Reports typically emphasise issues of theft of funds and irregularities, and that “we believe that if the various institutions are empowered when it comes to forensic investigations, such things can be curtailed before they even reach the AG.”

Mr Wilfred Neneh Addico,  facilitator of the workshop, also noted that from the discussions, he observed that usually fraud incidents come to the MoFA Internal Audit Function mainly by referrals from management.

He suggested that if the Internal Audit Function is to be effective in carrying out investigations, the mandate for forensic investigation should be embedded into their Audit Charter which will provide the power, support, and guidelines for an effective fraud risk management.

 He said an amended Charter that caters for fraud risk management would make room for a mandate to develop and maintain a dedicated forensic investigation unit and guided collaboration with other state institutions with mandate for investigating fraud within the Public sector. 

This collaboration, he said, would widen the fight against corruption and fraud within the public sector.

Mr Addico, who is also a forensic expert, indicated that forensic investigation starts with good planning which takes almost 50% of the work which ensures that the objectives of the investigation are realized.

Mr Isaac Adjin Bonney, Chief Internal Auditor at MoFA, expressed gratitude to the organizers and added that “the training has given us skills and knowledge needed to improve our reporting and internal audit work”.

He said good reporting touches on the root cause and as well check irregularities that always appear at the Public Accounts Committee, and was hopeful that this would also go a long way to solve issues relating to misappropriation of funds which has always been linked to corruption.

BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY