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Makers and Partners empowers MoFA internal auditors on forensic investigation
Mr Wilfred Neneh Addico, the facilitator of the workshop interacting with participants
Makers and Partners, a chartered accountancy firm licensed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana, has organized a capacity building workshop for 25 Internal Auditors of the Ministry of Food and
Agriculture (MoFA).
The workshop aimed at sharing insights and expertise to equip the Internal Auditors of MoFA with the requisite skills for forensic investigation to enable them safeguard MoFA from internal threats, such as fraud, misconduct, and abuse.
Participants were taken through the intricacies of effective planning of an investigation, the team leant practical and useful skills for evidence gathering and preservation using the appropriate techniques and tools including adequate documentation to procedures performed to obtain evidence.
Speaking during the training in Accra, Thursday, Mr Alfred Aryee, Partner, Makers and Partners, said the project was part of the Firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility, involving reaching out to governmental institutions to assist in the fight against fraud.
He stated that because the Firm’s frontliners are members of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), this would also create a platform to share past experiences in fraud- related issues.
Mr Aryee stated that the gesture was intended to build capacity and give free training for internal auditors so they could undertake forensic audits and report their results.
He stated that the Auditor General’s (AG) Reports typically emphasise issues of theft of funds and irregularities, and that “we believe that if the various institutions are empowered when it comes to forensic investigations, such things can be curtailed before they even reach the AG.”
Mr Wilfred Neneh Addico, facilitator of the workshop, also noted that from the discussions, he observed that usually fraud incidents come to the MoFA Internal Audit Function mainly by referrals from management.
He suggested that if the Internal Audit Function is to be effective in carrying out investigations, the mandate for forensic investigation should be embedded into their Audit Charter which will provide the power, support, and guidelines for an effective fraud risk management.
He said an amended Charter that caters for fraud risk management would make room for a mandate to develop and maintain a dedicated forensic investigation unit and guided collaboration with other state institutions with mandate for investigating fraud within the Public sector.
This collaboration, he said, would widen the fight against corruption and fraud within the public sector.
Mr Addico, who is also a forensic expert, indicated that forensic investigation starts with good planning which takes almost 50% of the work which ensures that the objectives of the investigation are realized.
Mr Isaac Adjin Bonney, Chief Internal Auditor at MoFA, expressed gratitude to the organizers and added that “the training has given us skills and knowledge needed to improve our reporting and internal audit work”.
He said good reporting touches on the root cause and as well check irregularities that always appear at the Public Accounts Committee, and was hopeful that this would also go a long way to solve issues relating to misappropriation of funds which has always been linked to corruption.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY
The Dzidula Pink Foundation, a new organisation dedicated to cancer awareness, early detection, and patient support, has been officially launched in Accra, with a passionate call for national commitment to fighting the disease. The launch event, held last week Friday, carried the theme: “Beyond the diagnosis: A future of restoration, care and courage.”
Speaking at the event, Madam Abena Brigidi, founder and CEO of Nimed Capital Limited, emphasised that cancer remains one of the most devastating health challenges facing families across the country. “Cancer does not discriminate—it affects mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons. It drains families emotionally and financially, and behind every statistic is a human story and a future suddenly thrown into uncertainty,” she said.
Sharing her personal encounters with cancer, having lost both her husband and father to the disease, Madam Brigidi highlighted the emotional, financial, and physical scars left behind. “I stand here not just as a speaker, but as a witness to what cancer can take away,” she stated. “I have watched loved ones fight bravely, and I have felt the deep pain that loss leaves behind.”
She stressed that awareness and early detection are critical to reducing deaths, noting that many Ghanaians still lack access to proper screening, reliable information, and adequate treatment. She appealed to healthcare professionals, corporate institutions, policymakers, the media, and the general public to join hands in the fight. “Early detection saves lives. Your support today can lead to someone’s healing tomorrow,” she said.
Madam Brigidi further called for collective responsibility to sustain the foundation’s mission. “To our medical professionals, we need your expertise. To corporate partners, your resources. To the media, your voice. To policymakers, your support. And to the public, your compassion,” she urged. She also insisted that breast cancer awareness should not be limited to annual campaigns, saying, “Breast cancer awareness must not be seasonal.”
Mrs Diana Fafa Gozo, founder of the Dzidula Pink Foundation, shared her own cancer journey, describing the shock of diagnosis, the fear that followed, and the difficult path through treatment. Her experience transformed her pain into purpose and inspired her to create a foundation to ensure no cancer patient walks alone.
Mrs Gozo explained that many patients struggle not only with treatment costs but also with emotional resilience. She outlined the foundation’s initiatives, which include awareness and early detection campaigns, patient support funds, community outreach, and survival support circles. “This foundation is my offering of gratitude, courage, and compassion and a reminder that no one should walk the cancer journey alone,” she concluded.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) says it will deploy teams of Public Health Officers, members of its Sanitation Taskforce, and labourers, including sweepers and janitors, across all sub-metros to support the third National Sanitation Day exercise.
It explained that these teams will be equipped with waste collection trucks, tippers, and other tools to help with desilting, refuse collection, and transporting waste to approved disposal sites.
The AMA reminded residents that failing to comply with the sanitation directive or refusing to participate in communal labour is an offence.
It said offenders risk a fine of up to 100 penalty units, imprisonment between 30 days and six months, or both, with repeat offenders liable to additional daily penalties.
It urged all residents, traders, transport operators, market women, shop owners, landlords, tenants, and businesses to actively participate in the exercise.
The AMA said it counts on everyone’s collective responsibility to keep Accra clean, liveable, and resilient, especially as the city approaches Christmas and the New Year.
By: Jacob Aggrey
