Nzechukwu sensitizes Nigerians on SWAIAP, says saving foreign exchange, patriotism part of gains

Noble Ambassador Patrick Onwura Nzechukwu, the Pioneer President/CEO, Society for West African Internal Audit Practitioners (SWAIAP), has revealed some of the gains derivable from the association.

He said that apart from providing qualified internal auditors in Nigeria, SWAIAP has ensured that members are saved the rigour of paying in foreign currencies.

He went further to disclose that there is an element of patriotism in the work of SWAIAP apart from contributing to the development of internal auditing.

Nzechukwu made the disclosures during a Zoom Meeting of outgoing and incoming executives of the group which was held on Sunday, June 30, 2024. The SWAIAP’s joint executive council meeting marked the end of tenure 2020-2024 Executive and commencement of 2024-2028 Executive.

Narrating what people used to go through to get internal auditing expertise he said “Firstly, you have to pay in dollars all their fees; secondly, you will train yourself to write their exams; thirdly, there is no guarantee that you will pass the exams on first seating, and lastly, we were making a very rich America richer through fees we were paying and at the same time depleting our leaned foreign reserves and making our region poorer..

“So, apart from contributing to the development of internal auditing, there’s an element of patriotism attached,” Noble Nzechukwu maintained.

He encouraged the members that it is a great privilege to have them as a team “It is a great privilege to have you as team members for the next level of SWAIAP which is going beyond the frontiers of Nigeria to the establishment of Country Chapters in West Africa.

“I want to encourage us that nothing is impossible to accomplish; the only limitation is our mindset. God told Abraham, as far as you can see, I have given you for possession. We all have the intrinsic qualities to do exploit if only we can put on the “I can do” attitude,” he added.

Expressing the need for dedication to set goals, he said “When I assembled the first team, the interim executives, in 2017 and told them that our vision is to institutionalize internal auditing in West Africa as the foremost tool to fighting corruption and all forms of risk both financial and non-financial in public and private sectors, most of them left after their one year tenure thinking that it’s a mission impossible. But today we are looking forward to our 4th induction.”