Audit Service Sierra Leone Gears-up to establish Internal Audit Division
The Audit Service Sierra Leone has held a three-day orientation programme to orientate its staff about an Internal Audit division to be set up by the Audit Service this year. The programme brought together 30 Divisional, Sectional and Provincial Heads of the Audit Service Sierra Leone to participate in the programme which was held at the hill valley Hotel from 20th – 22nd July 2009.

The orientation programme is part of a comprehensive process towards the set up of a professional Internal Audit function to improve financial, management and operation efficiency and effectiveness within the Audit Service. The process includes organization systems analysis leading to the development of internal audit practice documents such as Internal Audit Policy, Internal Audit charter, Audit Committee, adoption of Auditing Standards and the internal Audit manual. It includes the appointment and training of Internal audit staff, orientation of key staff before the commission of a maiden Internal audit.

The objectives of this orientation programme were to inform key staff about the Audit Service policy on internal audit and discuss the respective roles and responsibilities of the board, senior management and Divisional for the internal audit. The orientation programme was also used to highlight and discuss Internal Auditing standards and procedures and seek buy-in from key staff.
In her welcome address, the Auditor General said that Audit Service had decided to formalize its internal control and audit practices by establishing the Internal Audit Division that reports directly to the Audit service Board. She stated that the Audit Service operates in a dynamic environment. It must constantly orientate itself and keep abreast with innovations. She challenge participants to be open minded and participate fully to ensure the establishment of an Internal Audit function that would help move the Audit Service forward.

The Director of Internal Audit at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. R.S Fynn officially opened the workshop. He gave a historical background to the present status of internal audit practice in Sierra Leone. He reiterated the need for collaboration between the Audit Service and the Internal Audit Division in the M oFED to minimize duplication and optimize audit effectiveness.
The workshop was sponsored by the Governance and Institutional Development Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat. It was part of its “building pyramids in the valleys” project to strengthened public financial management (PFM) systems within the Commonwealth in accordance with the mandate of the 2003 Aso Rock Declaration of Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM), through a sustainable transfer of skills and knowledge and the sharing of country experiences.