ABSTRACT

The study on audit is an important one especially when if has to do with auditing as an instrument of accountability in an organization. Accountability as we all know, means answerability for one's action and behaviour within the emphasis that public official should be legally required to be answerable for their actions. Thus, if effected would permit and facilitate the achievement of cooperate goals, it is the efficiency of this accountability that auditing, be it internal or external set out to appraise. This project work sought to examine the auditing as a means of enhancing accountability of public fund: A case of Abak Local Government Council in Akwa Ibom State. The objectives of the study were to: Assess auditing as control machinery in the management of Abak Local Government finance. To assess the effectiveness and efficiency of auditing in the prevention and disclosure of irregularities, and to find out its associated problem as well as its recommendation as a propound solution to it. Data were collected both from primary and secondary sources. The primary sources were through questionnaires administered and personal interview. The secondary sources were text books from libraries and journals. Simple percentage and chi-square techniques were used in data analysis and testing of the three hypothesis. 5% level of significance was provided for against error and 95% of work done is assumed to be correct. From the studying, the findings reveal that negligence of duty, irregularities -- fraud, embezzlement, misappropriate of fund and non adherence to ethical code of the establishment is the other of the public sector in general. In my recommendation, audit department should be given a reasonable degree of independence to enable them report its findings on all activities of the council. Qualified staff should be employed, and all rule and regulations guiding the activities of every unit of the council should be observed. Above all, auditing rule should be emphasized and adhered to.