Deploy auditors as officers for election 2024- Barima Yaw Kodie to IAA

Justice Nana Barima Yaw Kodie Oppong, also the Mawerehene of Akyem Abuakwa, has proposed that auditors be assigned as electoral officials for the upcoming December 7, 2024 elections. 

He believes involving auditors in the electoral process would enhance the accuracy and integrity of the election results.

Speaking at the 2024 Annual Internal Audit Conference in Accra, where he was the Special Guest, Justice Kodie Oppong emphasized that auditors are uniquely qualified to safeguard the electoral process's integrity. 

He thus urged them not to wait for political actors to seek their expertise but to actively ensure that the election results are reliable.

The conference, which was themed "Consolidating Democratic and Accountable Governance in Ghana: The Role of the Internal Auditor," gathered internal auditors from various state institutions to discuss the year's achievements and challenges. 

Justice Kodie Oppong further stressed the importance of auditors' involvement in the electoral process, noting that their expertise is crucial in maintaining the democratic governance that elections represent.

He further stated that if auditors were to fulfill this role effectively, it would give all political parties, including those who might not win, confidence in the fairness of the election outcome. 

He also encouraged auditors to maintain high standards, listen carefully to those they audit, and advocated for a nationwide effort to improve auditors' working conditions.

Board Chairman of the IAA, Joseph Winful, urged Ghanaians to view protecting the public purse as a fundamental aspect of democracy, emphasizing that accountability is essential for the growth of democratic governance.

On his part, the Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), Dr. Derrick Oduro Osae, revealed that the diligence of internal auditors contributed to a GH¢5 billion reduction in financial irregularities in public institutions, as reported by the Auditor-General for 2023. 

However, he pointed out that more work is needed, particularly in technical universities and district assemblies, which saw a significant increase in irregularities and thus called for the amendment of the Internal Audit Agency Act.