Covid-19 and Auditing

Abstract

COVID-19 has affected the way and manner financial statements are prepared, and audit engagement, information gathering and reporting. the aim of the paper is to highlights some of the practical challenges auditors may face in auditing financial statements of an organization in the light of COVID-19 and areas to put more emphasis on their audit reports. The documentary research design was employed and secondary data were collected and used for this research. The paper found out that professional associations, accounting, and auditing bodies are monitoring issues and situations as they unfold that may affect the financial statements and audit reports due to the impact of COVID-19. Moreover, they are ready all the time to issue out additional guidelines as new developments unfold, and continue to update professional accountants on issues pertaining to the continuity of the organization businesses, workforce, economic impacts, and other resources to help their members serve their clients better in this period of the pandemic. The paper recommends that auditors are expected to display enough professional skepticisms and judgments and be focus on public interest and ethical responsibilities bestowed on them, and continue to apply the principles contain in the auditing standards fully, as well as comply with the fundamental principles of competence, independence, integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, care and skills, and behave professionally, as keys that will preserve and expands auditors trust in the face of the public.