Damilola Juliet
As part of it efforts to get rid of the country of corrupt tendencies, the Federal Government has assured that public accounting will experience improved auditing with the effective deployment of forensic auditing techniques.
Adolphus Aghughu, Auditor-General of the Federation (AuGF), gave the assurance in Abuja while inaugurating a newly-equipped forensic laboratory and presentation of certificates to 21 newly-trained forensic auditors on Monday
He said that forensic auditing, when effectively deployed, could be used to gather evidence that could help in diligent prosecution of corruption cases in the courts.
The auditor-general gave an assurance that the trained and certified forensic auditors would be immediately deployed to the field to carry out forensic audits in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
According to him, his office would ensure that the newly-trained forensic auditors were effectively deployed to improve the public accounting system.
“We are not just having a forensic laboratory, we have trained 21 forensic auditors that will be on the field in the next one week to carry out a minimum five forensic audits.
“For public accounting, forensic auditing is unique because, when you want an answer with evidence that could be used for prosecution in court, forensic auditing is integral, ” he said.
Aghughu urged the forensic auditors to work with zeal and determination to create a difference, saying that the country needed auditors to wake up and be more effective in their mandate.
Jimson Olufuye, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Consultant in the Office of the Auditor-General (OAuGF), had earlier commended Aghughu for delivering the laboratory and providing support for the training of the initial 21 forensic auditors.
Olufuye also commended the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) for partnering with the Auditor-General’s office for the training.
Prof. Peter Olayiwola, Facilitator of the training, gave an assurance that the new forensic auditors from the auditor-general’s office had been trained to carry out auditing systems that would ensure probity and accountability.
“All the 21 participants that were trained can expertly examine, question documents and carry out handwriting analysis, ” he stated.
