USAID, through their Nigeria State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness program, don organize one three-day workshop for Adamawa State civil servants on how to detect fraud. The workshop, wey hold for Gombe, gather over 40 participants from different offices, including Adamawa State Auditor General, Accountant General, Auditor General for Local Governments, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, and Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Education, Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.
Suzanne Myada, the State Team Lead, talk say internal control dey very important for public financial management because e help prevent fraud. She say, “No matter how good the processes and systems be, if there no established systems of internal control, then you go be vulnerable and open to different forms of fraud and abuse.” Myada add say USAID dey support Adamawa State to develop internal control manual and self-assessment tools to help identify risks and develop systems to address them.
Myada explain say USAID don work with offices of state Auditor General, Auditor General for Local Government and other Public Financial Management institutions over the years. She mention say dem support Adamawa State to develop its first performance audit manual, review its external audit manual, and now, dem dey support dem to develop internal control manual and self-assessment tools. “Dis make Adamawa one of the few states in Nigeria wey get internal control manuals,” she say.
Consultant Ismail Adeleye, who take participants through the introduction and highlights of the internal control manual, stress say speed without control can lead to accidents. He say the workshop aim to ensure dat participants understand the internal control system and how to apply it with other financial management documents and records.
Adeleye emphasize say part of his job be to help participants carry out their first assessment. He note say people often boycott, bypass, or disregard laws and regulations, which is why dem still dey have problems. He urge participants to take ownership of the reforms and ensure their sustainability.
