Governor Abdi urges departments to cooperate with auditors

Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi has directed county departments to cooperate with auditors for compliance purposes.

Abdi spoke during the inauguration of the audit committee at the Council of Governors offices in Westlands on Monday. 

He said his government will ensure there is enough budgetary allocation and provide the committee with tools to make their work easier.

The five-member committee comprises of chairman Daud Mayo, Abdullahi Abbey, Abdullahi Abdille, Maryan Abdisalan and Ahmed Sheikh. 

The governor said the county expects the committee to support the accounting officers with regard to issues of risk, control and governance and associated assurance.

“As a government we expect the committee to follow up on the implementation of the recommendations of internal and external auditors,”  he said.

The county boss said he wants to see members getting down to business and doing what is expected of them.

The audit committee which is a creation of Section 167 of the Public Finance Management (County Government) Regulations, 2015 forms a key element in the governance process.

It provides an independent expert assessment of the activities of top management to the executive. 

The activities include the quality of risk management, financial reporting, financial management and internal audit.

Abdi was accompanied by county secretary Abdullahi Maalim, chairman of the County Public Service Board Abdi Jelle and host of MCAs.

The governor thanked the County Public Service Board and the county Treasury for fast-tracking the composition of the audit committee.

He however warned public servants against absconding duty and focusing on campaigns saying that they have a duty to serve residents.

Abdi said even though the country is in an election year, county employees have a responsibility of first remaining neutral and executing their mandate.

“People from all corners still require services. It will be very wrong if individuals who are paid by tax payers fail to serve the same wananchi and focus all their energy and time on campaigns,” he said.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)