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Alhaji Musah Yakubu, Acting Director of Internal Audit at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has lauded Makers and Partners (MAP), a chartered accountancy firm, for its role in extending forensic investigation training to internal auditors within state institutions.

He noted that this would go a long way to equip internal auditors with the requisite skills to be able to provide quality assurance for internal audit activities and as well deal with internal threats such as fraud and misconduct.

He emphasized the need for regular training programs to enrich the knowledge levels of internal auditors.

Alhaji Yakubu made these remarks on the sidelines of a forensic investigation training workshop for 10 internal auditors of EPA, an initiative which is being spearheaded by MAP.

Beneficiaries of the training workshop were taken through the details of effective planning of an investigation, practical and useful skills for evidence gathering and preservation using the appropriate techniques and tools, including adequate documentation of procedures to obtain evidence.

Alhaji Yakubu said “this training will help the audit department undertake investigations that we use not to do, because most of our work is centered on consulting and assurance services”.

He anticipated that the knowledge acquired would enable the internal audit department advice Management and to a large extent help tackle the fraud risk that EPA is likely to be exposed to.

The Acting Director of Audit, on behalf of the Agency, expressed gratitude to MAP for building their capacity and was therefore hopeful that the Audit Department would start the implementation soon.

Mr Wilfred Neneh Addico, Partner Advisory at MAP and facilitator of the workshop, also noted that Ghana has made efforts in tackling fraud and there was a need to build the capacity of professionals to be able to do much more effective work.

He touched on the need for professionals to be trained, thus, taking certified fraud examiner course to become good forensic investigators.

Mrs Eugenia Anang, a Representative of MAP said the initiative formed part of the Firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility; to empower state-owned agencies to build their Internal Auditz Function to help fight corruption and fraud related cases.

She mentioned that the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Judicial Service, and Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) were among beneficiary institutions of the training programme.