ABSTRACT
The
major objective of this study is to examine how internal audit can promote
Accountability and transparency. The first chapter gave an in-depth of the
background to the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study,
research question, research study, limitation, definition of term in the course
of the study, many literary works were on the literature review and conceptual
framework in this chapter, the researcher was able to explain the concept of
Internal Control based on the explanation given by different authors. The
researcher was able to relate Internal audit as a check on Internal Control.
Also, the researcher explained the concept of Accountability and Transparency,
limitation of Internal System, and lastly review of previous Studies which the
researcher gave a lot of Authors opinion. There is no research that can be done
without presenting data. Chapter three, which is the research methodology on
respondent who are well informed about auditing. The data collected were mostly
analyzed by using chi-square method (x2) to arrived at final
conclusion. Chapter Four focuses on the data presentation, analysis and
interpretation. Based o the data collected and analyzed. It was discovered that
the relationship between Internal audit department and other department
strongly affect the Effectiveness of Accountability and Transparency in Okehi
Local Government. The factors that hindering the effective performance of
auditors includes auditor’s independence, qualification and working experience
and laid down rules and regulations, while Chapter Five focus on Summary,
Conclusion, Recommendation and Suggestion for further studies.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
page i
Dedication ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Abstract vii
Table
of Contents ix
List
of Tables xiii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Study 3
1.3 Objective of the Study 4
1.4 Research Question 5
1.5 Research Hypothesis 6
1.6 Significance of the Study 7
1.7 Scope of the Study 8
1.8 Limitation 9
1.9 Definition of Terms 10
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction 12
2.2 Concept of Internal Control 13
2.3 Internal Audit as a Check on Internal
Control 17
2.4 Internal Check 21
2.5 Concept of Accountability and Transparency 23
2.6 Limitation of Internal Control System 25
2.7 Review of Previous Studies 27
2.8 Summary 30
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction 32
3.1 Research Design 33
3.2 Population of the Study 33
3.3 Sampling Method 34
3.4 Sampling Procedures 34
3.5 Research Instrument 35
3.6 Analysis of Data Collected 36
3.7 Statistical Tools and Analytical Procedures
36
3.8 Limitation of Methodology 37
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Introduction 39
4.2 Data Analysis 39
4.3 Analysis of Responds/Items on the
Questionnaire 44
4.4 Testing of Research Hypothesis 51
4.5 Discussion of Findings 57
CHAPTER
FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Introduction 60
5.2 Summary 60
5.3 Conclusion 62
5.4 Recommendation 63
5.5 Suggestion for Further Studies 65
References 66
Appendix 69
Questionnaire
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Age
Distribution of Respondents 39
Table 2: Marital Status of
Respondents 40
Table 3: Gender
Distribution of Respondents 41
Table 4: Respondents
Level of Education 42
Table 5: Working
Experience of Respondents 43
Table 6: Percentage
Score of the Responses 44
Table 7: Percentage
Score of the Responses 45
Table 8: Percentage
Score of the Responses 46
Table 9: Percentage
Score of the Responses 46
Table 10: Percentage
Score of the Responses 47
Table 11: Percentage
Score of the Responses 48
Table 12: Percentage
Score of the Responses 49
Table 13: Percentage
Score of the Responses 50
Table 14: Percentage
Score of the Responses 51
Table 15: summary of chi-square (x2) result
of the impact of internal auditing in promoting transparency in the local
government council 52
Table 16: Summary of Chi-square (X2) result
of the impact of internal audit in promoting accountability in Okehi Local
Government Area of Kogi State 54
Table 17: Summary of Chi-square (x2) result
of the impact of internal auditor’s independence, qualification and working
experience in promoting accountability and transparency in Okehi Local
Government Council of Kogi State 56
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the Study
The
growth and increasing complexity of business environment has made it imperative
for management to seek for more of control which has resulted to internal and
it serves as control measure in both public and private sector. It is now very
rare to find an enterprise of any size which does not have internal control
system.
Internal
control system said to be essentially and appraising activity with an
organization that contributes to a good controlled environment through an
effective internal audit function.
According
to Dandago (2002), internal auditing is the independent review or appraisal
within an organization of accounting, financial or other operations as basic
for protection and constructive service to the management of such an
organization.
Accountability
is an obligation imposed by law or lawful order or regulation on an officer or
other person for keeping accurate record of property, documents or funds.
It
is quiet understand that internal audit is the major role play in the public
sector and expected to enhance accountability. But there are some sector that
is still lack accountability despite the internal audit is put in place by
government.
I
carry out the research and discover there are some challenges facing by
internal auditors that is why internal audit in public sector lack
accountability.
The
reason of carrying out the research is to correct and maintain proper internal
control and adequate internal audit to enhance accountability in public sector.
The
challenge that affects internal audit in order not to enhance accountability is
inadequate staffing, organizational policy and incompetent staff.
With
the challenges listed above, if government can make adjustment and put in place
adequate staffing manipulation of organizational policy and employ quality
auditors.
If
all these can be meaningful and financial statement of every parastata will be
fair and free from miss- appropriation.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The effectiveness
and survival of any organization depends on its ability to manage its resources
effectively and one of such ways is by establishing an effective internal
control system in the organization. It is often argue that despite that there
is existing internal audit department in both private and public sector, the
rate of fraud I the economic is still on the high side.
It now occur that effective internal
audit leads to accountability, and in most cases effective internal control
leads to lack of accountability due to the insufficient staffing, organization
policy, qualification of staff and incompetent of the internal control unit.
The presence of internal audit department has not completely checked the menace
of irregularities, fraud and misappropriation. It is therefore important to
investigate the level of effectiveness of internal audit in the local
government with the view to find out factors that hinder its successful
operation. The development therefore appears to put auditors investigative and
reporting independently in jeopardy and this may defeat the purpose of internal
audit an erode the independent and hence the objective of report to the
management. It is therefore doubtful of the independent of the auditors will
have any significant impact on the accountability of public sector Nigeria.
1.3 Objective of the Study
This research work
is on the role of internal audit as a tool for promoting account ability and
transparency in local government with specific reference to Okehi local
government area of Kogi state.
Specifically
the study seek to;
i.
Investigate the role of internal audit in
promoting transparency in the local government council.
ii.
Investigate the role of internal audit in
promoting accountability in the local government.
iii.
Investigate the extent of internal
auditor’s independence, qualification and working experience promote
accountability and transparency in the local government.
1.4 Research Questions
The study makes
effort to provide answer to the following research questions.
1.
What are the roles of internal audit in
promoting transparency in the local government council?
2.
What are the roles of internal audit in
promoting accountability in the local government council?
3.
Do internal auditor’s independence,
qualification and working experience promote accountability and transparency in
the local government?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The
following hypotheses were formulated to guide the conduct of this research
work;
Hypothesis
1
H1: Internal
audit has significant impact in promoting transparency in the local government
council.
H01: Internal audit has no significant impact in
promoting transp rency in the local
government council.
Hypothesis
2
H2: Internal
audit has a significant impact in promoting accountability in the local
government council.
H02: Internal
has no significant impact in promoting accountability in local government
council.
Hypothesis
3
H3: Internal
auditor’s independence qualification and working experience has a significant
impact in promoting transparency and accountability in the local government
council
H3: Internal
auditor’s independence qualification and working experience has no significant
impact in promoting accountability and transparency in the local government
council.
1.6 Significance of the study
The fact remains that the result of
the through research project contribute greatly to factors and doctrines which
were already in existence. Thus, the finding of the study is an additional work
to the existing body of knowledge.
The finding of this research work is
expected to provide the guide useful for identifying the internal audit as a
tool for promoting accountability in the local government of Nigeria. It is
also aimed to providing solution to the problem hindering some firm having
proper internal control but lack accountabilities. Beside, the research work
will provide skills need to carryout effective internal audit so that public
sectors financial statement will have fair value.
1.7 Scope of the study
The scope of the
study covers the internal audit as a tool for promoting accountability and
transparency. The study is limited to the local government in Nigeria. Due to
time and financial constrain, the research work will not be extended to provide
the information needed about the internal audit as a tool for promoting
accountability and transparency in Okehi Local Government Area Kogi State which
is used as a sample.
1.8 Limitation
A research work of this kind is always
constrained by many limitations. Among the limiting factors encountered during
the cause of carrying out this work include:
Time
Constraints: This factors limits the study scope
limited time coupled with other academic commitments like lecture time which
marrows the degree of effort that would be devoted to the work.
Financial
Constraints: This is the striking problem that limit
the scope of this work insufficiency financial resources.
This
has restricted the extent of data collection and ability to obtain adequate
material.
Confidentiality:
This was encountered of the part of the executive officers of the cases study
because of their unwillingness to disclose information for fear being against
them.
1.9
Definition of Terms
Internal
Audit: It is an independent, objective assurance and
consulting activities designed to add value and improve and organization.
Internal
Control: It is a whole system of control, financial or
otherwise established by the management to ensure it carries out its functions
in orderly manner, safeguard its assets and ensure as far possible the accuracy
a reliability of its records.
Accountability:
The
obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities,
accept responsibility for them, and to disclose the results in a transparent
manner. It is also includes the responsibility for money or other entrusted
property.
Transparency:
Lack
of hidden agendas ad conditions, accompanied by all availability of full
information required for collaboration, cooperation and collective decision
making.
Local
Government: This is the third-tier of government in
the Nigeria sate. It is a form of public administration which in a majority of contexts, exist as the lowest
tier of administration within a given state.
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