From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Federal Government, in a bid to bolster transparency and combat corruption, has called on Accountants General across the nation to prioritise integrity in discharging their roles.
The Accountant General of the Federation, Dr. Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein, made the appeal at the commencement of a three-day workshop aimed at addressing contemporary challenges in public finance management.
The training, which commenced in Abuja on Wednesday, was organised by the Forum of Accountants General in Nigeria, in collaboration with Pipo Consulting, with the theme: Contemporary Issues in Finance Management: Call for Accountability, Credibility and Transparency in Government.
Addressing the gathering, Madein emphasised the importance of accountability in effective public finance management, noting that it was the responsibility of Accountants-General to ensure that public funds are utilised efficiently and for their intended purposes.
She added that accountability is needed to foster trust and credibility among citizens.
According to her, “The importance of accountability can be described from the fact that accountability is the cornerstone of effective public finance management. As we manage public resources, we bear the enormous responsibility of ensuring that funds are used efficiently, effectively, and for the intended purposes.
“Accountability not only fosters trust among the citizenry, but also enhances the credibility of our financial systems.It is our duty to establish and maintain robust mechanisms that can track, report and update the use of public funds. These will ensure that we meet the expectations of our stakeholders and uphold the integrity of our policies.
“Building credibility in our profession is non-negotiable. It is built on a foundation of consistency, reliability, and ethical behavior.
“As accounting officers, our actions and decisions must be guided by the highest standard of professional conduct. We must be transparent in our operations and communicate openly with our stakeholders, providing clear and accurate information about the state of public finance.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Forum, Umar Ahmed, encouraged the participants to embrace innovation in public finance management by leveraging digital technologies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Ahmed, who is also the Accountant-General of Sokoto State, listed implementation of integrated financial management systems and the use of data analytics as strategies to improve performance.
“As stewards of public funds, we bear the responsibility of ensuring that financial resources are managed efficiently, ethically, and in the best interest of our citizens.
“In an era of heightened scrutiny, we must uphold the highest standards of accountability. Our actions should be transparent, and we must be answerable for every naira entrusted to us. Let us embrace technology and modern practices to enhance financial reporting and tracking.
“The public’s trust in our profession hinges on our credibility. As accountants, we must maintain our integrity, adhere to professional ethics, and avoid any conflicts of interest. Our decisions should be guided by policies, rules and regulations in the pursuit of the common good,” he said.
On his part, Professor Paschal Okolie, Managing Consultant PIPO Consulting, highlighted the importance of bridging infrastructural gap in addressing worker’s agitation.
Okolie said tackling infrastructural deficit in Nigeria would help to solve the current minimum wage issue of the nation.