Why We Introduce Public Finance Reform Initiatives – AGF Idris
BY GLORIA USMAN, ABUJA – The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris has said that his office introduced a number of public finance reforms in the management of the economy.
Idris, who stated this when he received in audience the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Aliyu Gambo and his management his office, said such reforms are in managing and forecasting of government revenues.
According to him; “These reforms includes but not limited to Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), Treasury Single Account (TSA), Integrated Personnel Payroll System (IPPIS) which is the platform for the payment of salaries to civil servants in all MDAs and implementation of e-service in Nigeria.
“In addition, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation supervises Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure that the revenue allocated to them are utilised according to public service rules and financial regulations.
“Therefore, the AGF is the life wire of the economy. We are not a bank or a Ministry but we have a strict mandate on financial management of the economy”.
While congratulating the Director-General of NACA on his appointment, the AGF promised to partner and support the agency saying, they are doing a great job in curbing HIV/AIDS epidemic in Nigeria.
The Director-General of National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Aliyu Gambo said the advocacy visit was to congratulate the AGF for his re-appointment, and also to get acquainted with him and solicit for deepened collaboration between the agency and his office as it was in the past.
He said; “The situation of HIV in the country has reduced in the past 15 years due to huge national investment,” adding that the concluded Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) exercise has given Nigeria the tool to work towards epidemic control based on the credible data generated and which has been accepted worldwide.
Gambo further said; “Nigeria can aggressively contain the spread of the epidemic because Nigeria has the capacity and resources to collectively achieve its goal to curb the virus.”
He also said that with the right mindset, Nigeria can control the epidemic adding that recent survey has shown that it has drastically reduced to 1.8 million from the 3.5 million which could still be reduced minimally in his tenure.
He acknowledged the AGF as a key and strategic partner in the fight against HIV/AIDS adding that NACA will welcome AGF’s contribution towards the sustainability of the fight against AIDS in Nigeria.
