The audit service and fighting corruption in public institutions in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

Abstract

This study examined the role of the audit service in fighting corruption in public institutions in the Ashanti Region. The population for the study encompassed all audit workers in the audit department in the Kumasi Metropolis in the Ashanti Region. A sample of twenty auditors was selected for the study through convenience sampling technique. The findings from the study indicated that there was high level of corruption in public institutions in the Ashanti Region and that the role of the audit service in fighting corruption in public institutions was very minimal and had little impact on curbing corruption. In addition, the findings showed that the audit service was beset with a lot of challenges such as inadequate office accommodation, interference from politicians and lack of motivation among others which impeded the effectiveness of the service in fighting corruption in public institutions in the region. It was therefore recommended that the audit service be well-resourced, equipped, motivated and made more independent to put in place best practices to curb the menace of corruption in public institutions the Ashanti Region.