The Society for West African Internal Audit Practitioners (SWAIAP) has promised to safeguard the nation’s treasury to boost the economy.

The auditors made the pledge at a reception for some members who were honoured with the SWAIAP fellowship on Saturday in Lagos.

The event was organised by the regional internal auditing body led by its president, Patrick Nzechukwu.

The chartered accountant said that they would deploy their noble training to check sharp practices in the system.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that SWAIAP advocates “Proactive Internal Auditing as Effective Tool for Anti-Corruption, Risk Management Control and Corporate Governance”.

Speaking at the event, Mr Nzechukwu urged the new SWAIAP awardees to live above board.

He asked them to rescue the nation’s economy to create wealth, stabilise the system and broaden job opportunities to absolve the teeming unemployed youths.

He cautioned the treasury keepers not to join the bandwagon of treasury looters, thereby spoiling the image of the profession and casting doubts on their integrity.

“Through your training and certification, you get what it takes to check sharp practices in the system.

“The shortage of Foreign Direct Investment and subsisting capital flight in the economy can be checked with your acquired skills,” he said.

According to him, corruption prevention auditing is expected of them as it is better than prosecuting corruption offenders.

“The relocation of multinational corporations to neighbouring countries in recent times that has shrunk job opportunities should be of concern to every Nigerian.

“Therefore, your calling demands that you tailor your managerial ability towards ensuring that existing ones remain while creating confidence for new ones to come in,” he charged the awardees.

Responding, the awardees said that they would make the body and the nation proud by sticking to ethics and restore confidence in internal auditing practice.

An awardee, Cletus Oweh, said that the institute had instilled in them the needed technical know-how to check corruption, reduce risks and curb resource waste.

He added that, as auditors, they would ensure accountability of projects and hold chief executives accountable both in the public and private sectors of the economy.

Also speaking at the event, another awardee Grace Ilevbaoje said that the sector was being revitalised with the infusion of SWAIAP personalities.

She said that with the routine inventory performance of members by the organisation, the practitioners have no option than to put in the best effort to revamp the system for utmost performance.

No less than 20 auditors scaled through the organisation’s examination and were conferred with awards.