OAG Hosts Regional HR Conference

Mombasa: November, 2021

The Office of the Auditor-General, Kenya hosted the 2021 African Organisation of English-speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-E) Regional Human Resource Workshop in Mombasa. The annual forum, brought together HR specialists and representatives of audit offices from the English speaking regions within Africa.

The meeting also acts as a platform for the professionals to share ideas and experiences as well as evaluate the changing dynamics in the HR industry. During the 5-day Workshop, the Human Resource function was recognised as a strategic tool in the successful attainment of organisational objectives.

The Workshop which was opened by the Auditor-General, Nancy Gathungu, was attended by both physical and virtual participants. The attendees, were representing Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of Uganda, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Somalia, Zambia, Kenya, Namibia, Mozambique among others attending virtually.

In her remarks, the Auditor-General highlighted the significant role played by the HR departments in Supreme Audit Institutions and acknowledged their role in assisting employees to cope with difficult situations, such as the covid-19 pandemic. “The Covid-19 pandemic for instance, indeed taught us a lot. It catapulted the HR departments to the epicentre of the organisation. It forced you to find solutions and ensure business continuity of the SAIs”, said the AG.

The AG also stressed on the need for HR departments to devise performance management strategies focused on capacity building and staff development.

“Indeed, ISSAI 140 (and now the International Standard on Quality Management (ISQM-1) recognizes the critical role of HR in developing a culture of quality in our SAIs. Part of staff retention includes professional development of personnel, that incorporates provision of in-house training and external programs. SAIs, therefore, should employ performance management strategies that form a basis of training and development plans, career advancement opportunities and other retention programmes”, said the AG.

Such initiatives, she noted, will have a great impact on the overall staff motivation, productivity and innovation.