FAAC
FAAC
Beyond 2020: OAGF assures Implementation of FG’ Public
Reform
The Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris FCNA has
posited that his Office is central to the implementation of the
Federal Government public financial management reforms initiatives
aimed at positioning Nigeria economy among the best by the year
2020 and beyond.
He stated this when the Senate Committee on ICT led by its
Chairman, Senator Yakubu Oseni paid an oversight visit to the
Treasury House.
According to Ahmed in accordance with Pillar 3 of the Bureau of
Public Service Reform (BPSR), the Office of the Accountant-General
of the Federation has keyed into several initiatives such as
Government Integrated Financial Management Information System
(GIFMIS), Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPIS),
Treasury Single Account (TSA), Audit Modernization, Open Treasury
Portal and Revenue and Investment Monitoring Dashboard, adding that
these reforms are technology-based information and communication,
ICT applications and content. Notably among these are GIFMIS,
IPPIS, TSA AND Open Treasury Portal which are web-based.
“To implement the TSA on the application is a huge task that
must be driven by experts because of the online, real time, budget
based, and web based, also, the Office is manned by more than 99%
ICT compliance staff because what we do is ICT related, he
said”.
According to him “Nigeria has adopted International Public
Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS)- which is the preparation of
public financial management worldwide as well as National Chart of
Account (NCoA) that gives direction on account classification
accordingly. The Office has a clear mandate on what should be
published weekly, monthly and on annual basis in order to limit
Federal Government spending hence, MDA’s are expected to publish
their spending on the Open Treasury Portal with full details of
beneficiaries”.
Ahmed said that IPPIS has Federal Government employees of
793,580 salary accounts; Ministries on IPPIS platform-602,
Navy-23,863, Air Force-19,656, Army-116,117, Police-293,571,
Immigration-24,663, Civil Defence-55,611 and Nigeria Correctional
Service-30,133, adding that 63% of ASUU members have also been
captured.
AGF reiterated that through the assistance of National Security
Adviser (NSA), Galaxy Backbone (GBB), and National Information and
Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the ICT infrastructure have
been protected and fortified from cyber hackers, also Central Bank
of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Petroleum
Training Development Fund (PTDF), and Solution providers like
Remitta and SystemSpec have assisted in terms of training of staff
in ICT.
Speaking earlier, The Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT, Senator
Yakubu Oseni stated that the visit is to carry out fact findings on
agencies of the FG on general institutional framework and specific
matters enshrined in Section 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
He posited that the Senate Committee on ICT was created in
pursuant to the need to mobilise Nigerians to meet up with global
practices in ICT and cybercrime.
According to him” the advancement of ICT has accelerated the
pace of globalization and has completely impacted on life and work
as well as the pivot for transformation of economies today”.
“It is pertinent to note, seriously too, that criminal elements
around the world have chosen to turn ICT
revolution into a nightmare. The gains of digital technology are
being dampened by rapid evolution of cybersecurity threat
landscape, with increased attacks in both sophistication and
severity.
“The country still lags behind in infrastructure sophistication,
data management and digital security and knowhow, which are
critical to the development agenda.” Senator Oseni stated.
He informed the Office of the forthcoming International
Stakeholder Conference to be held in the month of October this year
in order to address the gaps inherent in the ICT system. Adding
that answers to unattended questions should be forwarded to the
Committee Clerk within one week in facts and figures.
Okoro Esther A.O.
Info Officer I (Press)
For: Director (Info,Press & PRU)