The Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Profession­al Studies, Accra (UPSA), Profes­sor Abednego Feehi Amartey, has called on internal auditors to exhibit a high sense of professionalism in the discharge of their duties to protect the public purse.

He said the Internal Auditors must not sacrifice their professional obliga­tion for political favours.

Speaking at The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Ghana 2025 Annual National Internal Audit and Governance Conference in Accra yesterday, Prof. Amartey, expressed concern about the erosion of professionalism to politics.

The three-day conference is on the theme “Elevating professionalism for national development.”

The flagship programme which opened yesterday and ends tomorrow, is being attended by 500 international audit professionals, accountants and finance professionals from across the country.

Prof. Amartey in his keynote address urged Internal Auditors not to condone wrongdoing in their organisations.

“As professionals, we have a re­sponsibility to contribute to national development. Let us rally together, using our skills and expertise to address our nation’s challenges and build a brighter future. By upholding professionalism in our daily work, we drive progress and positively impact society.

The Former Vice Chancellor said the business environment was changing rapidly due to many factors, including technological advancement, and artificial intelligence.

To this end, Prof. Amartey, said professionals must keep abreast of the evolving trends through ongoing education, saying “I encourage all professionals here to take advantage of continuous professional development opportunities.”

The Director-General of Internal Audit Agency, Dr Eric Oduro-Osae, said his outfit was ready to partner the IIA to professionalise public service practice.

He said the Public Financial Manage­ment System could not work without Internal Audit professionals.

The chairman of the Public Ac­counts Committee (PAC), Mr Abena Osei-Asare, said PAC was developing a framework to guide the work of Internal Auditors.

She encouraged IIA Ghana to reward members who upheld professionalism.

The Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana and Regional Executive, Anglo­phone West Africa, Abena Osei-Poku, in her address urged International Auditors to keep high moral and ethical stan­dards.

That, he said was to build accountabil­ity and development of the country.

She said the country would bear the cost of financial leakages if Internal Auditors were not diligent in their work.

Mrs Osei-Poku said Japan was built on “precision and accountability” and Ghana must pursue same.

The Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana called for strong and effective standards for internal audit practice.

The President of IIA, Joseph Dakora Zamuzigee, said the institute settled on the theme “Elevating Professionalism for National Development” for the 2025 conference in line with the theme of the International Conference of the Institute of Internal Auditors which is “Embracing Change, Elevating Stan­dards.”

He said both themes focused on professionalism and drew attention to the role of professionals in national development.

Mr Zamuzigee stressed the need for collaboration among professional bod­ies, saying “One sure way of elevating professionalism is through collaboration among different professional bodies.”

“IIA Ghana is of the view that col­lective, deliberate, and concerted effort on the part of all professional bodies in Ghana is required to propel national development,” he stated.

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