- This comes six years after the law was passed requiring devolved units to establish the team.
- Abdi unveiled the team as he announced the nomination of Diyad Hujalen to replace Ismael Sheikh, who resigned as Finance executive to join politics.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
The Wajir government has finally formed an audit team to enhance financial accountability and strengthen governance systems.
Governor Mohamed Abdi inaugurated the five-member audit committee at the Council of Governors offices in Westlands on Monday.
This comes six years after the law requiring devolved units to establish the team was passed.
Abdi, however, said it is not their fault that his administration took long to set up the team, despite several audit queries.
“We have advertised several times but the response was poor."
He said it is a part-time job and people are paid allowances hence many professionals are not willing to take them up.
“We expect you to follow up on the implementations of the recommendations of the internal and external auditors,” Governor Abdi told the new team.
Abdi unveiled the team as he announced the nomination of Diyad Hujalen to replace Ismael Sheikh, who resigned as Finance executive to join elective politics.
He sent the name of the nominee to the county assembly for vetting and consideration.
The audit team comprises auditors and human resources experts picked from private entities to help the county improve on its financial reporting and operations.
They include Daud Mayo, an auditor with Amref who will chair the team.
Its members are Abdullahi Abbey, Abdullahi Abdille, Maryan Abdisalan and Ahmed Sheikh.
Section 155(5) of Public Finance Management Act of 2012 and the accompanying regulations require counties to establish the teams.
Governor Abdi said the county has been facing audit and financial management challenges due to the lack of the committee.
“We have been having serious audit issues with internal and external auditors. The same issues have been escalating at the Senate appearances,” he said.
Abdi said they want the issues to be resolved before external auditors visit the county.
He added that the panel should unearth departments and individuals responsible for the damning audit queries.
“We must identify those putting the county on the wrong side of the law. They must be called out so that disciplinary actions are taken against them,” he said.
Auditor general Nancy Gathungu has often put the Wajir government on the spot for failure to put in place the committee.
She flagged the issue in the latest report, 2019-20, saying lack of the committee had jeopardised the county’s ability to check on its internal processes.
“The management had not established an audit committee to monitor the entities’ governance processes, accountability processes and control systems,” the report reads.
Gathungu said in the circumstances, she is unable to confirm existence of effective overall governance measures at the county.
While promising the team of his administration’s support, the governor said the team should be acquainted with the county operations to robustly perform its duties.
“We expect you to be also conversant with the objects, principals and functions of each department and other county entities and funds,” Abdi said.
The committee is tasked with providing objective advice on risk control, governance and associated assurance.
The panel will also follow up on the implementation of the recommendations of internal and external auditors to strengthen internal controls.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)