- Warns MDAs over Treasury staff snub
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – Worried by issues of continuous financial leakages in the system, Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Ahmed Idris has warned Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to desist from rejecting Treasury Staff posted to them in their line of duty.
The threat is against the backdrop of the AGF’s assertion that Auditors may be compromised when they are employed and paid by the same organization.
Idris therefore said the consequences of rejecting Treasury staff may include blacklisting and denying affected MDAs access to the public payment platforms manned by the AGF’s Office.
He stated that as long as MDAs receive public funds from government, they “must allow the Treasury officers to manage operations of the system and application of the funds”, stressing that it is dubious for MDAs that rely on OAGF for funds’ releases to implement their programmes and activities to snub Treasury officers that should aid their effective management of public finances.
Speaking when the management of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, (NASENI) led by Acting Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive, Dr Aliya Maje Adanan visited him, the AGF said; “The principle of transparency and accountability, which this administration stands for must be seen in practical terms and in line with international best practices.”
Idris, who spoke through a statement by the Head of press and public relations at OAGF, Oise Johnson, said the warning to MDAs has become imperative given the OAGF’s mandate to handle, on behalf of government, all payments and receipts.
According to him, the “Treasury staff have been specially trained and equipped to perform these functions in MDAs in line with Financial Regulations and extant rules”, adding that; “It is the role of Treasury officers to manage the Finance and Accounts Departments as well as the Internal Audit Units in MDAs.”
The AGF also stated that posting Internal Auditors to MDAs is aimed at ensuring funds are expended in line with laid down procedures and due processes, adding; “Ability of the Internal Auditor to perform his function as expected is predicted on his independence; which must be practical in the real sense of the word.”
Insisting that an auditor must be independent for effective service delivery, Alhaji Idris urged all Heads and Chief Executives of MDAs that do not have Treasury staff manning their Accounts and Internal Audit functions to reconsider their positions and request the deployment of trained officers from the Treasury for their operations in line with global best practices.
In his remarks, NASENI’s Acting Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Adanan lauded what he described as the “remarkable achievements” of the AGF since his appointment on June 2015.
He listed some of these achievements to include: improved performance of the Treasury Single Account (TSA); huge public savings through the TSA; and TSA’s introduction to some states of the Federation.
Others are the “Enhancement of the interoperability of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) with related Agencies and stakeholders for improved service delivery”; “Accomplishment of the Financial Module of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS); and the planned commencement of the Human Resource Module
Adanan acknowledged that support for the AGF’s office would ensure the Treasury effectively actualize its programmes and set goals for the year
