BY ELLISON VAHI
THE Office of the Auditor General has a structured approach to governance that supports the delivery of the OAG’s purpose and outcomes.
As per part of its corporate governance framework, the OAG has set a clear direction on organisational priorities on Corporate Business and how its progress is monitored.
The framework also provides assurance that management is achieving this direction in an ethical and legal way and that risk and opportunities are recognised and addressed.
According to the OAG Corporate Plan, it serves that, the elements of their corporate governance framework includes; committees, strategic planning framework, risk and fraud management, audit and assurance activities, Auditor-General Instructions, policies and guidelines.
In relation, the OAG is currently using the Corporate Plan 2017 – 2022. However, it has become apparent that this plan is too difficult and not “fit for purpose” as a tool to guide the OAG’s future development.
Accordingly, this year, they have proposed in developing a Corporate Business Plan for the period 2019 – 2023 to address this problem.
The purpose of this Corporate Plan is to provide guidance and a focus for OAG’s work over the next six years 2017 – 2022.
It also, gives broad objectives that they will strive to achieve over the period and sets down the activities and values they have set for the office in meeting those objectives.
In addition, the OAG have also sets out Plans that also maps out how the Office is going to work towards meeting its obligations as a Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) within the international network of SAI’s in meeting international auditing standards and making their contribution towards the international goal of all SAIs of “making a difference to the lives of citizens”.
In developing the Plan in consultation with all their staff at every level, the OAG has kept in mind what their international world expected of them to make a difference to our citizens through; strengthening the accountability, transparency and integrity of government and public sector entities through audit activities, reporting and publication of findings, demonstrating ongoing relevance to citizens, Parliaments and other stakeholders – through being responsive, using effective and proactive communication, and supporting change in government and public entities and being a model organization through leading by example in terms of good governance, transparency and accountability of SAI performance, in following ethical standards, in promoting a culture of quality and continual improvement, and in learning and knowledge sharing.
Whilst, when looking at how they do this within the Solomon Islands, they also take account of the development plans guiding our nation to ensure that their work is relevant and useful in improving the lives of Solomon Islanders through scrutiny of the effectiveness of those plans, at regional, national, provincial and constituency levels.
In the meantime, OAG trust the Corporate Plan 2017 – 2022 will remind and guide them in providing assurance to the Parliament and people of Solomon Islands that public funds are accurately accounted for and making a significant contribution to improvements in public administration.
