Collaborative Initiative: The Auditor-General’s Office of Kenya Extends Technical Support to the National Audit Office of The Gambia
26Jan’24
The Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) Kenya, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Audit Office (NAO) of The Gambia to provide technical support on financial audit. The objective of the MoU is to strengthen NAO’s professional capacity in public sector auditing.
Kenya’s Auditor-General FCPA Nancy Gathungu, and her The Gambian counterpart Modou Ceesay appended their signatures to the MoU at a ceremony witnessed by Federal Auditor-General of Ethiopia, HE Meseret Damte, Auditor-General of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Timothy Matsebula and Chief Executive Officer of the African Organisation of English-speaking Supreme Audit Institution (AFROSAI-E), Meisie Nkau.
In her remarks, FCPA Gathungu noted that the Kenyan Technical Team would be driven by the needs of the NAO of The Gambia in giving the support, noting that it is also an opportunity for the two Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) to deepen their collaboration.
“This forum grants us a noble chance to explore and deepen our collaborations and partnerships in enhancing accountability in our respective countries. As Supreme Audit Institutions, we all share common goals of ensuring accountability, transparency, good governance and sound management of public resources,” she said.
The Auditor-General pointed out that, her Office has also been providing support to NAO of The Gambia in the area of Communication and Stakeholder Management, through AFROSAI-E, under the INTOSAI Development Initiative’s (IDI) Accelerated Peer Support Partnership (PAP-APP) Programme, and expressed satisfaction with the success of the programme to NAO.
‘My Office has been providing support to SAI Gambia together with AFROSAI-E under the IDI Accelerated Peer Support programme in the area of Communication and Stakeholder Management and the SAI is now able to engage its stakeholders professionally, continuously and effectively,’’ she remarked.
She noted that the co-operation with SAI The Gambia is in line with INTOSAI Motto of Mutual Experience Benefits All and AFROSAIE’s objective of promoting and coordinating professional and technical development and cooperation among members of AFROSAI-E.
Mr. Ceesay appreciated the support his Office has been receiving from OAG Kenya and expressed optimism that this engagement will further deepen the partnership between the two SAIs. He thanked AFROSAI-E for championing these engagements.
“AFROSAI-E has championed these peer-to-peer engagements which have been of great benefit to us. Indeed, we are now Communication champions in our region, thanks to the peer support we have received from SAI Kenya. Our relationship with Kenya is cordial and has been so over the years and we aim to extend this by coming into this engagement which I am sure shall be of mutual benefit to the two Offices,” Mr Ceesay said.
Ms Meisie Nkau, the Chief Executive Officer of AFROSAI_E, said she expects SAI The Gambia to be able to become self-sufficient, following the peer support and be able to extend similar support to other SAIs that may require assistance.
“I trust that this MoU doesn’t mean that Kenya will be permanently based in The Gambia. It however, means The Gambia, at some point, will be able to extend similar support to other SAIs,” she said.
