The Significance And Objectives Of Source Documents In Audit Investigation (A Case Study Of Orji Chukwu And Co Chartered Accountants)

CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND INFORMAITON

1.1     INTRODUCTION

RELEVANCE OF INVESTIGATION

Every business entity, be it profitable or non profitable, have goals and objectives for which they were established example, most liability companies are established for profit optimization and charitable or non-profit organizations, example, government parastatates reestablished to subsidize costs to the governed.

          However, its pertinent to note here that whether upon profitable or non profitable basis, its relevant that accounting records must be maintained Accounting is broadly defined as a process of recording analyzing and interpreting at business transactions in such a systematic and concise manners as to give full and detailed explanation to related parties who are interested in the financial statement.  In every business organizations, it’s the duty of the chief accountant to keep records of all business transactions of the organization.  However if thus records must be kept, it must follow norms principles, conventions and standards et out by various professional accounting bodies.  In Nigeria, the Nigeria accounting standard board (NASB) is in charge of this duty.

          Subject to the foregoing, section 357 of the company and allied matters decree,. Makes it mandatory for every limited liability company to appoint an Auditor to examine its accounts.

          This now brings us to the question, who is an auditor? With reference to Walter N. Bigg, he sees an auditor as a person appointed by the directors (Shareholder authorize the directors to appoint) of a company to examine its books of account and stake whether it gives a true and fair view of the financial position of the entity and also see that there is compliance with statute and that accounting standard are strictly adhered to.  In the light of the above, the auditor should be a professional and used in the accounting field, with high integrity profile and must be a member of a recognized professional body and must be licensed to practice.  In Nigeria today, the institute of chartered accountants Nigeria takes care of this.  If the auditor as a professional is a ware of the fact that his work is relied upon by related third parties, he owes it a duty to the reasonable care and skill in the discharge of his duty so as not to expose  himself to liabilities associated with negligence out of misfeasance proceedings.

In the light of the above, for the auditor to accept assurances or to give in opinion, he must certify himself beyond all reasonable doubt that the presentation made to hi gives a true and fair view of the financial position of the entity as at the date of his audit.