Politics
NO fewer than 300 Sokoto State government personnel have undergone digital training to ensure compliance with best practices on budget processes and enhanced revenue generation in the state.
The state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planing, Dr Balarabe Kakale, said this at the end of a three-week training programme on Friday.
Kakale said the effort was part of 2020 budget processes aimed at strengthening the budget system and blocking leakages in revenue collections.
He said the 300 participants were officers in charge of budget preparations and revenue collection personnel from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, (MDAs) in the state.
Kakale said the state government was adopting International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) in the development of the 2020 Budget.
The commissioner disclosed that community groups, religious bodies, trade associations and other stakeholders were all mobilised toward ensuring success of the exercise.
According to him, the administration of Gov. Aminu Tambuwal has designed a digital platforms using Information Communication Technology (ICT) on budget and revenue drives to achieve maximum implementation of programmes with best resources management.
He explained that the state government had procured 150 laptops to ensure domestication, institutionalisation and sustainability of IPSAS in Sokoto governance system.
“It is going to resonate around the world as one of those very important strides made by Sokoto State government in good governance, accountability, fight against corruption and mainstreaming sustainable development goals,” he said.
The commissioner expressed optimism that the training would help to consolidate on the gains so far achieved and further improve the planning and budgeting machinery, public service delivery and good governance at all levels.
He further said the concluded training was the first phase as it was designed as a train the trainer exercise.
Kakale said that more stakeholders from revenues sources and people at grassroots would be educated to understand the transparent models adopted in to augment internal revenue generation.
He added that all efforts were geared toward transforming Sokoto State and bringing about accelerated growth and development in all sectors.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Abdussamad Dasuki, said that the current
administration was embarking on series of institutional reforms geared towards addressing challenges in public financial management to ensure transparency and accountability.
Dasuki underscored the importance of IPSAS as a tool that was aimed at improving the quality of general purpose financial tracking and reporting, to enhance resource allocation justification, efficiency and effectiveness.
He said it was also designed to promote accountability and transparency in public financial management.
The Commissioner added that it would help in identifying service delivery gaps and ensure proper allocation of resources. (NAN)
– Oct. 25, 2019 @ 18:35 GMT |
Tags: Sokoto State trains 300 personnel on digital budget processes
