ABSTRACT
The overall goal of this research is to improve accountability in non-profit organisations by using the African Artists’ Foundation as a case study. The survey research methodology was used for the study, and the researcher chose eighty (80) participants who are Management and Staff at African Artists’ Foundation as study respondents using a simple sample approach. The 80 respondents were given a well-structured questionnaire, and a total of 77 replies were extracted and validated for the study. The data was analysed in frequency and tabular format using basic percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The study’s findings indicated that the African Artists’ Foundation has an acceptable division or segregation of functions at various levels of management.  The investigation found that there is a step done when inefficiency in the internal control system is recognised. More specifically, there is a system of proper authorisation and recording in place at African Artists’ Foundation to provide acceptable accounting control over assets, liabilities, revenue, and spending in a private organisation. However, more can be done to improve financial accountability, such as reducing tolerance for corruption through big data and analytics. To present an accurate financial picture, ensure that accrual accounting is integral to the whole PFM system. As a result, the study proposes that private organisations maintain and capitalise on the beneficial influence of the control environment and control activities in order to improve their operating performance. Furthermore, private organisations should commit more to integrity, ethical value, competence, accountability, and the development of preventive and detective control activities through the use of technology, as well as the standardisation of policies and procedures for transaction approval, verification, and reconciliation, all of which would have a significant impact on their business performance.
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1Â Â Â BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The concept of accountability is critical to every organisation, business or non-profit. Financial accountability failure leads to embezzlement, fraud, and misappropriation of cash. Because of the regularity of the Nigerian economy, any subject in accountability, financial or otherwise, is worth examining. Nigeria has had its fair share of financial impropriety in both the public and commercial sectors; this is not unrelated to the country’s political structure, the growth of its financial institutions, and, of course, the country’s degree of development. The researcher chose the topic improving financial accountability in the private sector of the Nigerian economy through a control system because of the problem indicated above, which is related with a lack of financial responsibility in any organisation. Internal control systems include the organization’s strategy and all coordinating methods and measures used in business to protect its assets, ensure the integrity and reliability of its accounting data, boost operational efficiency, and increase adherence to prescribed management principles.
The investigation will seek to determine whether the reference company has implemented this control system and, if so, how effective it is in enhancing early detection of mistaken deliberate misappropriation and detection of severally check collusion, fraud, or embezzlement of funds through proper authorization, reliability of financial records, asset safeguarding, and thus, financial accountability. However, the ability of any business organisation to improve its financial accountability is primarily determined by the type and effectiveness of its internal control system, which should be designed in such a way that it benefits the organisation first and foremost.
1.2Â Â Â STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Every policy developed in boardrooms would have been a success if it had been implemented there as well. However, many management firms struggle with employee adherence to planned policies. Management is the act of getting things done with the help of others. The owners of any lousiness expect a reasonable return on their investment, regardless of who executes the policies. The problem of policy execution is further complicated by the evolution of larger organisations, where personal supervision of employees by individual managers appears to be an attempted impossibility with a larger span of control.
As a result, the need for an internal control system is such an essential tool in the hands of management if it wishes to obtain adequate and useful information, protect company assets, and control subsequent operations that land to accountability. However, despite the established necessity for installing an internal control system, It has been established that most businesses do not maintain any internal control system because they believe it is costly to operate. Many managers do not see the necessity for implementing an internal control system to prevent large losses at any additional expense. Another issue is that many control procedures whose success is dependent on duty segregation are being evaded by employee collaboration. The level of compliance with the control method is frequently allowed to degrade owing to duty neglect, carelessness, mistakes, and even personal reasons. These elements are an issue for organisations and, if not addressed, will eventually weaken the efficacy and efficiency of the internal control system. There are several issue questions: How well are subordinates complying to the internal control measure? What measure should management use to assess adherence to the internal control procedure?  Should internal auditing be considered an adequate method of detecting circumvention of internal control measures? Should management rely on internal auditing to assess internal control efficiency and adherence?  Should adequate financial accountability be based on the effectiveness of internal control? These questions highlight the necessity for a research study of the type undertaken here, and they are addressed further in subordinate chapters of the project, which is focused on improving financial accountability in the non-profit making organizationsusing the African Artists’ Foundation as a case study.
1.3Â Â Â OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The broad objective of this study is focused on enhancing accountability in non-profit making organizations. Specifically the study seeks:
- To ascertain whether there is adequate division or segregation of duties of various level of management in the organization.
- To ascertain if there are step taken when inefficiency is detected in the internal control system.
- To know whether there is a system of adequate authorization and recording to provide reasonable accounting control over assets liabilities, revenue and expenses in non-profit making organizations
- To determine if financial accountability has an effect on the performance of non-profit making organizations
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
- Is there adequate division or segregation of duties of various level of management in the organization?
- Are there step taken when inefficiency is detected in the internal control system?
- Is there any system of adequate authorization and recording which provide reasonable accounting and internal control?
- What are the ways through which financial accountability can be enhanced in organizations?
1.5 SIGNIFCANCE OF STUDY
Many establishment loose fabulous amount due to fraudulent acts of some of their employee these have led to the folding up of some private and public enterprises. To save this ugly situation investigation and correction are to be made as regards those things that cause ineffective internal control is lack of accountability increased losses and eventually reduction in the firms level of profitability. It is believed by the researcher that effective internal control system will enhance financial accountability. Moreover, companies with affective internal control system will benefit from it as that will make for financial accountability. Effective internal control system most often is believe to enable the companies with it, to achieve their objective and it will be for the overall good of any company. Empirically, the study will contribute to the general body of knowledge and serve as a reference material to both scholars and student who wishes to conduct further studies in related field.
1.5Â Â SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
A research into the internal control system of any organization is a research into its efficiency, profitability apparatus, viability prospect and of course accountability of the entire organization. It is the purpose of this study therefore to have a close look at the sort of internal existing in African Artists’ Foundation, Aba if there is any, then to know how effective this has assisted in attaining financial accountability.
1.7Â Â Â Â Â Â Limitation of the study
Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing to the nature of the discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. More so, the choice of the sample size was limited  as few respondent were selected to answer the research instrument hence cannot be generalize to other corporate organizations. However, despite the constraint encountered during the research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.
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