Transparency and accountability form the fulcrum of good governance; to achieve and entrench those pillars in a democracy, NATHANIEL GBAORON examines how the Nasarawa State is retooling to fast-track the delivery of democratic dividend to the citizens at an austere time.
It was Agustín Carstens, a former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who said transparency and accountability are crucial for the efficient functioning of a modern economy and for fostering social well-being. In most societies, many powers are delegated to public authorities. Some assurance must then be provided to the delegators—that is, society at large—that this transfer of power is not only effective, but also not abused. Transparency ensures that information is available that can be used to measure the authorities› performance and to guard against any possible misuse of powers. In that sense, transparency serves to achieve accountability, which means that authorities can be held responsible for their actions.
Without transparency and accountability, trust will be lacking between a government and those whom it governs. The result would be social instability and an environment that is less than conducive to economic growth. He submitted that adequate transparency and accountability are therefore critical for ensuring that resource wealth is managed for the benefit of the whole population. It is in recognition of the importance of these issues, that the Nasarsawa State government organised a refresher workshop for Directors of Finance and Accounts (DFAs), Bursars and Heads of Accounts recently. They are considered critical and crucial in managing scarce resources that elected top government functionaries need and require in delivering campaign promises and repositioning the welfare of the vast majority as opposed to a minute percentage of the human population. Significance of the event was underlined by the fact that the state governor, Abdulahi Sule chose to lead the discussion and evolve further ways of mobilizing the huge human and material resources in the state for the good of all. The training session was put together by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning under the office of the state Accountant General, headed by Honourable (Dr). Ahmed Musa Mohammed with the theme: Overcoming Challenges on Financial Transparency and Accountability at the Sub-National Level. Governor Sule set the tone of the discussion. He tasked the accountants, especially Directors of Finance and Accounts (DFAs), on competence and professionalism geared towards taking the state to the next level of development. While declaring open the three-day workshop held at the Kini Country Hotel, in Akwanga local government area of the state, the governor laude the accountant general of the state, Ahmed Musa Mohammed, He said it was the first of its kind in the life of the administration. The governor underscored the high level of significance placed on competence and professionalism in accounting either in government, private or public sector. Citing from his vast background knowledge of various financial accounting systems such as the Oracle, Statutory Accounting Procedure (SAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), Engineer Sule called on the participants to make use of the opportunity of the training as they prepare to take Nasarawa State to the next level. “As you are aware, accountability and transparency are critical in the effective Public Financial Management and Reporting. It is for this reason that it becomes necessary to engage our heads of accounts on this Workshop in order to ensure that resources are used efficiently and ethically,” he stated.
Sule noted that lack of accountability, transparency and probity breeds inefficiency, diminishes productivity, discourages investments and poverty among other negative impacts. So he challenged professionals to appreciate that the workshop was organized in order to strengthen the capacity of heads of accounts and to provide them with necessary knowledge and tools for effective and efficient service delivery, in line with modern accounting trends. Sule used the opportunity to stress the significance his administration attached to transparency and accountability in the management of public resources. “My dear participants, realizing the importance of transparency and accountability as key elements for a responsive Government, we have provided online portals for the publication of our financial records ranging from Appropriation Laws, Monthly and Quarterly Budget Implementation Reports, Accountant-General and Auditor-General Reports, Procurement Process, among others. This is with a view to entrench the culture of transparency in our State,» he said. He equally identified gaps within the state financial system which he said his administration would address, especially rotating DFAs, with a view to giving them space to adequately understand the system, as well as prepare them for higher responsibilities. «I am calling on you especially the resource persons, to ensure that our DFAs truly understand their roles and truly understand how to prepare our financials properly. And also understand how to do their disclosures completely,” he added.
For the Commissioner of Finance, Budget and Planning, Honourable Munirat Abdullahi, accountants are stewards of integrity, transparency, and accountability, who are committed to elevating the state›s financial landscape to unprecedented heights. “One of our primary goals is to enhance our internally generated revenue. Let us harness the wealth of resources Nasarawa State possesses through innovative strategies and efficient tax collection, we can secure the funds crucial for development projects,” she stated. She described accountability as the bedrock of her ministry, stressing that accountants must not only manage funds judiciously but also ensure that every naira is accounted for. On her part, the Head of Civil Service, Abigail Waya, said the training was facilitated towards breaching the gap in skills and understanding of the digital world, with a view to impacting knowledge on the participants on how to use technology for accountability and transparency in Nasarawa State.
The Accountant General , Dr Mohammed, said the essence of the training was to refreshen and update the knowledge of the participants, as well as improve their capacity by introducing new trends of events in financial management. Some of the participants at the workshop including the Bursar Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Zanaib Aliyu Dalhatu and the DFA office of the Head of Service (HOS) of the state, Ahmadu, Ahaji Babanrabi. For Dalhatu, “the workshop was very inspirational, we benefited from it, there are a lot of papers that have been presented that concerns us as accountants, the general overview was widely spread, from taxation to cost account etc. It covered a lot of work related to our daily Job. The workshop being the first of it›s kind was well sponsored, we had a blast moment there. I will appeal to the state government and the Account General that it should be made an annual program. We took away a lot, as soon as I get back, I shall immediately commence implementation of what I have learnt because some mistakes we make in our offices for lack of awareness but from what I have learnt the mistakes will be corrected because attending the worship opened my eyes, I really learnt a lot,” the Bursar said. “The workshop came at the right time because we have benefit Soo much on new technics of financial transparency and accountability. I appreciate governor Abdulahi Sule and the Account General for organizing such training for us,” Babanrabi said.
Similarly, Mohammed Musa Tanko, the DFA ministry of Women Affairs said: «First I will thank the governor of Nasarawa State, Engineer Abdulahi Sule for giving us this opportunity through the Accountant General, Ahmed Musa Mohammed. This is the first time that the government of the state will organise such a huge and marvelous training for accountants in the state civil service that we should update our knowledge in regards to the financial challenges in the state. Infact, the necessary knowledge both theoritical and practical has been thought us. All the resource persons thought us very well and as for me, I am ready for implementation.”
Another participant, the director of Finance and Administration, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Agwadu Dauda Iliya described the training as a wakeup call for finance staff in the state. Facilitators at the workshop comprised of erudite Professors of Accounting and experienced public servants from within and outside Nigeria. The papers presented are as follows: Contemporary Issues and Trends Public Sector Accounting Reforms – Focus on Nasarawa State Treasury House by Professor Musa Inuwa Fodio, Managing Public Finance for Development by Profssor Doshiro Musa Umar, Statutory Tax/Revenue Deduction & Remittances by Kennedy Iwundu, Ph.D, Skills Enhancement for Excellence in Accounting Services by Professor Sunday Mlanga, and Budgeting System, Chart of Account & Implementation in the Public Sector by Akolo Peters Ataka.
At the end of the technical sessions, according to a communique signed by the communique drafting committee chairman Dr. Agyo Ismaila Ewa and secretary Abdullahi Ismaila
«the training saw the need for immediate rotation of Directors of Finance & Accounts to enhance exposure and improve financial management; introduction of Cloud-9 (Microsoft Dynamic 365 financial system) and other accounting software data analytics tools in the treasury management of Nasarawa State; need for immediate adoption and implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) accrual in the state; gradual adoption and implementation of Public Sector Accounting (PSA) reforms in the state; need for adoption and acquisition of digital technology treasury management tools in the state; Amendment of existing legal and regulatory frameworks in line with current global practice to facilitate overall success of Public Sector Accounting (PSA) reforms in the state; need to embrace requisite skills, through up-skilling, re-skilling and continuous long-term learning; need to widen the scope of financial reporting, by including Integrated Reporting (IR), Social and Environmental Accounting (SEA), and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) & information disclosure; the need to reintroduce internet checks on the financial transactions in order to avoid mismanagement of resources; application of special control mechanisms in financial management to ensure proper utilization of public resources; the need to eschew all forms of sentiments in financial management and exhibit high level ofe professionalism and trust in the discharge of duties; emphasised on the full financial autonomy of the 3rd Tier of Government for socio-economic development at the grassroots; encouraged consistent and regular submission of monthly and quarterly financial reports and ensure proper computation of same; the need to balance spending across sectors according to strategic development plan to ensure investment operates in future; emphasis should be on key principles of public expenditure decisions which revolved around 5 basic canons. These are: Canon of benefit, economy, sanction, productivity, and equitable distribution of resources,» the communique read.
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