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From Uche Usim, Abuja
For increased fiscal transparency, accountability and strengthening domestic revenue mobilization, the Federal Government has urged states to strengthen audit law reforms initiated under the World Bank-Assisted States Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Programme.
It added that such moves will increase efficiency in public expenditure and strengthen debt sustainability at the sub-national level.
The call was made by the SFTAS National Programme Coordinator (NPC), Mr. Ali Mohammed, in Lagos recently, while declaring open, a Zonal Workshop for Audit Officers drawn from the Offices of the States and Local Government Auditors General for the South West Zone.
Ali, who was represented by the Programme Deputy National Programme Coordinator, Dr. Essien Akparawa, observed that state audit laws remained veritable tools for increased transparency and accountability in governance that need to be continuously strengthened by States and Local Governments.
According to the NPC, the workshop organised by the SFTAS Programme Coordination Unit, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning in collaboration with the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation which is one of the Implementing Agencies for the Programme is aimed at providing further Technical Assistance (TA) to the States and Local Governments as part of the Programme’s goals to strengthen the professional capacity of the States and Local Government Auditor-General Offices for effective service delivery.
Addressing the participants drawn from the six States in the South West geo-political Zone, he charged them to maintain eternal vigilance over the implementation of audit laws through sustained close monitoring to ensure that States and Local governments do not derail from the provisions of the law.
Ali, who commended the Lagos State Government for being a pace setter in implementing sound fiscal reforms also noted that long before the introduction of SFTAS programme for results, the Lagos state government is known to have introduced far reaching reforms aimed at strengthening financial management system which greatly enhanced internal revenue generation in the state to an enviable status in the country.
Giving highlights of the Audit Laws earlier, Dr. Fawale Busayo, the SFTAS, Independent Verification Agent (IVA) Programme Manager, Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, explained that the Audit Law provides for the following: Promote the effectiveness, efficiency and independence of the Office of the Auditor-General (State and Local Government, encourage the establishment of Audit Commission for proper administration, ensure the roles of Auditor being lauded in the Public Finance Management in the three tiers of the Government in our country, Nigeria, for probity, accountability and transparency in the implementation of approved Budgets and expression of independent opinions on the Annual Financial Statements.
The workshop was to facilitate the implementation of Cash Management and the use of a Treasury Single Account; Focus on Public Finance Management performance with the growth of Internally Generated Revenues through an effective internal control system.
Other areas include: Stronger controls around payroll to address irregular payments and ghost workers / ghost pensioners; Publication of Procurement transactions and contract award information; Focus on managing debt and ensuring debt sustainability and Preparation and publication of Domestic Debt and Arrears reports.
Busayo added that the 5-Day Train-the-Trainer workshop which seeks to improve the professional independence of the Offices of the Auditor-General for States and Local Governments will further deepen the professionalism and generally improve the performance of the state and local government Auditor-General offices, adding that the module employs both concepts and practical interface with field officers using case study exercises and practical experience to ensure the adoption of International Good Practice using the approved Financial Audit Methodology.
