You are an audit manager of Kwame Obosu & Associates (KOA), a firm of chartered accountants and tax practitioners and you are planning the audit of Belso Manufacturing Company Limited, a listed company, for the year ending 31 March 2022. The company manufactures computer components and forecast profit before tax is GH336m and total assets are GH793m.

Belso Manufacturing Company Limited distributes its products through wholesalers as well as via its own website. The website was upgraded during the year at a cost of GH11m. Additionally, the company entered into a transaction in February to purchase a new warehouse which will cost GH32m. Belso Manufacturing Company Limiteds legal advisers are working to ensure that the legal process will be completed by the year end. The company issued GHS 5m of irredeemable preference shares to finance the warehouse purchase.

During the year the finance director has increased the useful economic lives of fixtures and fittings from three to four years as he felt this was a more appropriate period. The finance director has informed the engagement partner that a revised credit period has been agreed with one of its wholesale customers, as they have been experiencing difficulties with repaying the balance of GH12m owing to Belso Manufacturing Company Limited

In January 2022, Belso Manufacturing Company Limited introduced a new bonus based on sales targets for its sales staff. This has resulted in a significant number of new wholesale customer accounts being opened by sales staff. The new customers have been given favourable credit terms as an introductory offer, provided goods are purchased within a two-month period. As a result, revenue has increased by 5% on the prior year.

The company has launched several new products this year and all but one of these new launches have been successful. Feedback on product YOT, launched four months ago, has been mixed, and the company has just received notice from one of their customers, Lanq Company Ltd, of an intended legal action. They are alleging the product sold to them was faulty, resulting in a significant loss of information and an ongoing detrimental impact on profits.

As a precaution, sales of the YOT product have been halted and a product recall has been initiated for any YOT products sold in the last four months.

The finance director is keen to announce the companys financial results to the stock market earlier than last year and in order to facilitate this, he has asked if the audit could be completed in a shorter timescale. In addition, the company is intending to propose a final dividend once the financial statements are finalized. Belso Manufacturing Company Limiteds finance director has informed the audit engagement partner that one of the companys non-executive directors (NED) has just resigned, and he has enquired if the partners at Kwame Obosu & Associates can help Belso Manufacturing Company Limited in recruiting a new NED.

Specifically, he has requested the engagement quality control reviewer, who was until last year the audit engagement partner on Belso Manufacturing Company Limited, assist the company in this recruitment.

KOA also provides taxation services for Belso Manufacturing Company Limited in the form of tax return preparation along with some tax planning advice.

The finance director has recommended to the audit committee of Belso Manufacturing Company Limited that this years audit fee should be based on the companys profit before tax. At todays date, 20% of last years audit fee is still outstanding and was due to be paid three months ago.

Required: (a). Describe FIVE audit risks, and explain the auditors response to each risk, in planning the audit of Belso Company Ltd. (20 marks)

Note: Prepare your answer using two columns headed Audit risk and Auditors response respectively.