A two-day training session for Heads of Internal Audit in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as well as Local Governments kicked off today at Hotel Africana in Kampala. The training, conducted by the Office of the Internal Auditor General, aims to equip internal auditors with performance enhancement tools and familiarize them with new global internal auditing standards.
In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), represented by the Internal Auditor General, Dr. Fixon Akonye Okonye, emphasized the need for internal auditors to identify critical issues, provide practical recommendations, and maintain objectivity. “As internal auditors, you need to deliver value to the Government of Uganda by communicating effectively, demonstrating strong work ethic, and upholding professional values,” he said.
The PSST also called for a shift in the way auditors measure and report results, stressing the importance of field inspections and verification of outputs and outcomes. “Enforce a comprehensive and integrated approach to auditing. The people of Uganda must get the value they pay for,” he added.
Corruption and fraud were highlighted as major concerns, undermining the credibility of government and robbing citizens of hope and dreams. Internal auditors were urged to uphold professional values, maintain objectivity and independence, and focus on critical areas with significant economic impact, such as payroll, public debt, and projects like the Parish Development Model (PDM).
Dr. Okonye emphasized the importance of attitude, trustworthiness, and honesty in the internal audit profession. “To effectively deliver on our mandate, we need to be aware of the three main risks to the Internal Audit Activity/function: audit failure, false assurance, and reputation risks,” he noted.
The training is expected to enhance the capacity of internal auditors to promote accountability, transparency, and good governance in Uganda.
