Toba Adedeji
The European Union and World Bank has constituted a 24-days training program for the staffs of Auditor General of Osun State to prevent misappropriation of government fund and enhance good accountability culture.
According to the Project Cordinator of State and Local Governance Reform (SLOGOR) Mr. Yemi Ijidele made it know to newsmen in an interview at the training exercise that, the program is aimed towards strengthen the capacities of audit staffs Osun State in the area of modern techniques in auditing.
Ijidele stressed that World Bank and European Union organized the program because they have conducted assessment on public financial management system in 6 EU focal States which Osun State is part of.
He said, “the assessment called Public Expenditure Management Financial Accountability Review which identify weaknesses in our public financial system which include audit function.
” The program is a way to build the trainee capacity in auditing with modern techniques.
He posited that it will be inline with the anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Government of Nigeria. This is because the public financial reform at large is looking at ensuring that public fund is out to good use and at the same time will look at the way and manner government officials that expend government fund are able to account for it.
“The role of auditors is very important especially for accountability in public fund. Auditor should be able to detect fraudulent practices”.
The European has six focal states in Nigeria which this same program will be extended to. The State are; Cross River, Anambra, Kano, Yobe and Jigawa.
The Auditor General of Osun State, Mr. Folorunso Adeshina also tasked the staff to make best out of the moment of the training because it will definitely define their future in their career in auditing field.
He said ” A good auditor must be able to spot fraudulent practices.
“The Osun State government rely solely on consultants which the civil servants ought to be doing in some ministries because government has more confidence in their competency and no confidence in the work of the civil servants. The reason for the action of the government is to prevent bureaucracy and incompetence.This is the need that we must build values into our lives.
Also the Auditor General for Local Government, Mr. Kolapo Salmonu appealed to the staff to ensure they are diligent to the training.
He said they training will further put food on their table even when they are out of government work because they can still train other in this regard”.
Leave a Reply