The Federal Government has tasked treasury directors of finance and accounts, and directors of internal audit on treasury reform.
The Minister for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmad, gave the task on Thursday in Kano at the opening of 2020 management retreat for the directors.
The retreat, themed “Global Best Practice in 21st Century Treasury Management”, was organised by the Office of the Accountant-General of Federation.
The minister, who described the theme of the programme apt and timely, urged the participants to put the training, experiences and skills they have acquired to help the government in managing the limited resources it has and in cutting down unnecessary expenditure.
“Let’s tell ourselves the truth and really help the current administration in putting the economy on the path of growth, especially as the country is facing a very difficult situation,” she said.
She also reminded the participants of the cardinal objectives of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, saying the administration has welfare of the citizens, economic growth and fight against corruption as its cardinal objectives.
“This administration has a strong demonstrated political will to ensure accountability, probity, transparency and openess in all its dealings.
“It is also obvious to all that this administration has zero tolerance for corruption and has demonstrated this beyond rhetorics. Just recently President Buhari launched financial transparency policy guidelines as well as open treasury.
“Stringent efforts have been made by the current adminstration to reposition the public financial sector to achieve the desired effectiveness and efficiency in managing scarce resources and enhancing the overall effectiveness for an value-driven econony,” she explained.
On the issue of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), IPPIS enrolment, the minister said that about 55 per cent of them had been captured.
She also disclosed that only those who had been registered would get their salary henceforth.
Ahmad added that IPPIS system had helped in identifying over 70,000 ghost workers in the federal civil service.
The minister also commended the AGF for remaining steadfast in discharging his responsibility.
Ahmad, however, called on the drivers of the economy to be exposed to the global best practices, adding that it is apt for the routine retreat to focus on directors of finance and accounts, and directors of internal revenue.
Earlier, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Ahmad Idris, said the 2020 Management Retreat would enable the directors to brainstorm for public treasury reform.
Idris said that the overall objective of the retreat was to promote accountability and transparency in all facets of the nation’s public finance and management.
He urged the participants to be the change agents in positioning the treasury for greater height and improving service delivery.
“The objective of this retreat is, among others, to review the progress achieved so far in the implementation of all financial management reforms we have started with specific emphasis on challenges and examining the way forward thereby making them realise the objectives for which we set out to implement them.
“We look forward to well participatory, interactive, engaging and fruitfull discussion and constructive contribution with a view to strengthening and deepening the full implementation of the financial management reform to the overall goal of economic prosperity and financial well being of our dear country,” he said.
In his remarks, the Facilitator, Mr James Kayode Naiyeju, urged the Office of the Acxountant-General of the Federation to take stock.
“We need to take honest stock of where we are coming from, where we are, and where we are going,” he advised. (NAN)
