CAPABILITY STATEMENT FOR INTERNAL AUDIT

About us
OPTIMA IMPRO is a Ghanaian partnership made up of professionals with global experience in
the areas of internal audit, IT audit, business risk, information security and IT governance. W e Internal Auditing Defined

are the foremost trainer and advocate of best practices in internal auditing. Established in 2010 The Institute of Internal Auditors, USA, has defined
internal auditing as an independent, objective
through an amalgamation of services previously offered by the partners, OPTIMA IMPRO is assurance and consulting activity designed to add
uniquely positioned to provide internal audit solutions that are aimed at improving the value and improve an organisations operations. It
helps an organisation achieve its objectives by
performance of businesses with a positive effect on the bottom line. bringing a systematic disciplined approach to
The combined abilities of the partners boasts of an experienced and robust team of area evaluate the effectiveness of risk management,
control, and governance processes.
experts and consultants with varied backgrounds bringing high professional standards and
excellence to the learning and practical assignments and projects we undertake. In-house
experience is averaged at 20 years.

Protecting and enhancing value

Internal audit has changed dramatically in recent years, evolving from a traditional auditing role, with a charter of protecting enterprise value, to that of an
internal consultant, with increasingly organisationwide pressure to enhance shareholder value. The key to success now lies in being proactive. The
importance and visibility of internal audit has never been greater. Now more than ever, management, audit committee members and other stakeholders
are demanding a world-class internal audit function. The cost of failure is too high. Every organization regardless of its
size should have some type of internal control system or process in place.
At OPTIMA IMPRO we believe that that an organisation is best served by a fully resourced and professionally
competent internal audit staff that provides value-added services critical to efficient and effective organisational
management. As partners to management, internal auditors are positioned to help protect the organisation against
both traditional and emerging risks; provide consultation about how opportunities and vulnerabilities can be balanced;
and make valuable recommendations for assessing and strengthening corporate governance. The internal auditors’
broad understanding of the organization and its culture prepares them for effectively monitoring risks associated with
new business lines.
Our Services 2
OPTIMA IMPRO currently provides specialist internal auditing services to clients through our various integrated business units
namely:
Internal audit activity set-up:
W e can help you to build an effective internal audit function that supports your strategic objectives and supports the realization
through truly adding value to your organisation. W ithin a couple of months, our highly experienced internal audit professionals can
have your internal audit function up and running. W e have developed a Quick Start service which includes understanding your
organisation’s expectations and perceptions of internal audit, and designing
a function that meets your needs, budget and organisational culture.
The components include: Our Mission for Internal Audit:
 Internal Audit Mission and Charter To be the lead practitioner, trainer and
 Development of a risk-based strategic audit plan advocate of best practices in internal auditing in
Africa by providing superior internal audit
 Staffing model options with complete job descriptions solutions to the private and public sector that
establishs the internal audit activity as the
 Infrastructure recommendations (methodology and technology)
cornerstone of corporate governance and a
critical success factor for sustainable
organisational success.
Internal audit activity review and enhancement
The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Standards require a periodic external assessment of internal audit
activity to appraise the quality of the operations. Our internal audit activity reviews look at internal audit’s
ability to help an organisation achieve business objectives and strategies. W e help clients measure the quality of their internal audit activity to ensure and
sustain its value to the organisation. In order to achieve this we review the policies, procedures and structure of the activity, the methodology and
approach used and the people who provide the internal audit service. W e also review the performance relative to plans using relevant indicators as well as
adherence to professional standards and best practices.

Strategic audit plan development

Organisations are increasingly looking to risk assessment as a way to identify and assess risks either across the organisation as a whole or within specific
aspects of the business. For internal audit departments, risk assessment is a key element in the development of the annual risk-based internal audit plan.
The proper identification, prioritization and sourcing of key organisational risks is critical to ensuring that internal audit resources are allocated to the areas
that matter most. Accordingly, we help our clients design risk-driven internal audit plans that are needed to reach specific objectives of management or
boards of directors. This typically entails defining the audit universe, prioritizing audit activities and recommending a schedule of audits to be performed.
 Co-sourcing Services
Increasingly, internal audit departments are leveraging the benefits of co-sourcing to
supplement their internal audit team with external resources or specialised skills. Co-sourcing
provides a flexible solution to the resourcing needs of an in-house internal audit activity.
Resources and specialised skills can be procured from an external service provider at the right
level at the right time without permanently increasing the head-count of the department.
OPTIMA IMPRO can provide you with skilled internal audit professionals to complete special
projects or fill vacant internal audit positions to enable the completion of your annual internal
audit plan. W e can also provide your internal audit team with specialised skills in a wide variety
of areas such as information technology, regulatory compliance, and human resources to name
just a few.
Corporate Anti-Fraud Program
All organizations are faced with the risk of fraud. The traditional response has been to call in the external auditor. Management has, however, realized that
internal auditors are better placed to combat the potential for substantial fines, penalties, and loss, resulting from fraudulent financial reporting and non
compliance with applicable laws and regulations. W e will work with you to establish a robust corporate anti-fraud program which include an internal fraud
risk assessment and mitigation programs. The strength of our anti fraud programs lies in the fact that we focus on deterrence and not prevention. W e
believe that the right environment will deter fraudsters from perpetrating their acts. In line with this we help you to establish the right tone at the top which
communicates managements’ position and philosophy with regards to fraud and other unethical workplace practices.

IT Audit Services
Business performance relies upon the controlled operation of information technology. At the same time, an organisation is constantly challenged with an
increasing number of information technology risks including security threats, deviation from business rules, regulatory and legislative compliance and
unexpected disruption to system availability. Management looks to Internal Audit to provide assurance that appropriate controls are designed and
operating effectively to manage these technology risks, both today and in the future.
Our IT audit services help our clients answer the following questions:
 W hat are my significant IT risks and what is being done in the organisation to address these?
 How good is m y security and does it fit together in an efficient and cohesive manner?
 Can I trust the integrity of information being used to make business decisions?
 W ill my systems and information be available when I need them?
 Are applications being developed, implemented and maintained in a well- controlled manner?
 Are third party outsourcing partners meeting service level and control commitments?
Out sourcing
4
Outsourcing the entire internal audit function to an external provider can be an effective business solution to allow management to focus its time and effort
on the core competencies of the organisation. W e work with clients to fill the role and serve as the organisation’s internal audit department, because
internal auditing is our core competency. W ith our proven methodologies and expertise in specialised areas across a wide variety of industries, our
internal audit professionals create value-added internal audit functions.

Internal Audit training and certification (CIA®, CISA® & CFE)

Internal auditors serve a critical role as independent, objective assurance and consulting professionals in business environments. In their roles, they bring
a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes as well as
assurance of the information systems within the organization. Increasingly, organizations are seeking auditors right validation of their skills and
knowledge. No certification does that better than the CIA, CISA & CFE certifications.

The Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) are key globally accepted
designation for internal auditors and the standard by which internal auditing professionals demonstrate their knowledge and competence to facilitate and
manage today’s complex internal audit responsibilities. All are far more than just a title. The programs are designed as a comprehensive educational and
development program to help internal auditors strengthen and showcase their professional abilities.
All our partners and key staff have at least one of these certifications and are members of the
respective associations. W e can provide training and continual career development within a
program which comprises all certifications.

Our Staff
Our professional staff and associates are uniquely qualified in their area of expertise with
extensive years of relevant experience gathered from serving at high level positions in
multinationals including the Big 4 accounting and audit houses. Staff are absolutely committed to
client satisfaction and dedicated to the provision of unique, quality and distinguished client
services. The top down approach we adopt in the execution of our assignments enables us to
adequately plan and supervise our work effectively from start to finish. Our philosophy is to
provide only services that are beneficial to our clients.