GNFS’ Risk Based Internal Auditing workshop opens in Accra

Internal Auditors of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) on Thursday started a two-day training on Risk Based Internal Auditing to build their capacity to reduce corruption in the system.

The workshop brought together 24 participants from the GNFS who were taken through topics like Understanding Internal Auditing, Risk Based Internal Auditing Strategy and Planning, Initiation of the Audit and Effective Internal Audit Reporting and Follow-Up.

Mr Edwin Ekow Blankson, the Chief Fire Officer, said as business risk continued to increase, organisations were finding it necessary to implement formal risk management systems.

He said public organisations around the globe that had successfully implemented enterprise management had provided a more risk focused culture for their organisations.

The Chief Fire Officer said the categorisation of output into high, medium and low risk areas to determine resource allocation and the need for strengthening of institutions were the bedrock of the Internal Auditors’s functions since they were placed strategically in management to add to their organisations.

He said risk management was a fundamental element of corporate governance, whiles management was responsible for establishing and operating the risk management framework.

DG1 Philip Amagnoh, Head of the Internal Audit of the GNFS, said risk management was one the new areas in the auditing system that helped to reduce the rate of corruption.

He said the training would equip officers with skills to reduce the impacts of corruption and fight the canker from various angles.

Mr Samuel Gyekye-Mensah, a Senior Auditor at the Internal Audit Agency, said the topics formed part of the new standards practiced on the international scene.

He said Ghana was gradually moving into the global space and it beboves on internal auditors to learn how to develop risk-base internal audit plans to make their work effective.