‘Sign Forensic Auditors Bill to fight graft’

A member ‎of the House of Representatives, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta (PDP, Abia), has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the bill for an Act to establish the Chartered Institute of Forensic Investigative Auditors of Nigeria, in order to expedite the war against graft.

Nkem-Abonta, who made the appeal while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, wondered why the country could afford to spend billions of Naira to hire foreign auditors whereas there are highly qualified indigenous hands in the field at far cheaper rates.

He added that the President’s assent would give a legal framework to the indigenous investigative auditors to‎ enable them match the increasing sophistication of criminal activities.

The Bill for an Act to establish the Chartered Institute of Forensic and ‎Investigative Auditors of Nigeria awaits President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent after passage by the Senate and House of Representatives.

Sponsored by Nkem-Abonta and two other lawmakers, the bill seeks to‎ establish a body of chartered auditors and investigators saddled with the responsibility of harnessing skills from a variety of fields on the use of sophisticated scientific and technological methods in detecting frauds and other criminal activities.

The lawmaker refuted certain insinuations that the institute would constitute a liability to the government and duplicate functions of already existing bodies, when established.

“The Chartered Institute of Forensic Auditors and Investigators Bill has been passed and sent to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent, to help in the fight against corruption and other frauds.

“In fact, it does not make any sense that we go overseas to hire forensic auditors when we have them here waiting to be used. To be an auditor, you don’t need to be an accountant. The body is also self-funded, not government liability. So, who is afraid of the forensic auditors?” Abonta queried.