Members of the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Auditors in Nigeria have appealed to the National Assembly to fast-track the approval of a bill recognising forensic and investigative auditors in the country.
The President of CIFIA, Dr Victoria Enape, during a training and induction for new members of the institute, told journalists in Abuja that the bill has passed second reading at the floor of house.
She said if the bill is passed, it will reduce the cost of hiring international forensic auditors.
Enape clarified that the institute is not another anti-graft agency but an audit institute different from traditional audit to help government save cost of hiring foreign forensic auditors.
“We have traditional audit before but it is as a result of inadequacies in traditional audit that gave birth to what we call forensic and investigative auditors in Nigeria. And now we are saying that if Nigeria as a whole can transit to forensic and investigative audit, this country will be a better place to live.
“You and I are aware that in 2014 there was a case of missing $20bn in NNPC which made them to look for a foreign forensic auditors to Nigeria and as you are aware, Nigeria spent additional money in order to pay those people to get the truth of the matter.
“Now, if we have young men and women like this, who are serious to carry out forensic audit, do you think we will be employing those foreign people where we will be spending our dollars? Instead, we will make use of the money to develop our country,” Enape also said.
