Borno State Government has organised a three day workshop for Local Government accounting officers on the use of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs) in preparing financial statements.
The workshop with the theme: “Accounting Records in Local Government: pathway To IPSAS Compliant Financial Statements” is organised by Ministry for Local Government and Emirate Affairs in collaboration with Desert Consult.
Flagging-off the worshop at a ceremony on Monday in Maiduguri, the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Alhaji Sugun Mai Mele, said the programme was organised in conjunction with the office of the State Accountant General.
Mai Mele who said the worshop is compulsory for all treasurers, departmental accountants and internal auditors, tasked them to make maximum use of the opportunity if they want to be relevant in the system.
“What you learn is for your own benefit because it will be a challenge and embarrassing for a treasurer not to know about IPSASs,” Mai Mele said.
He noted that there must be no vacuum under any excuse for local governments not to update their records in line with best practices that promotes transparency and accountability.
The Commissioner directed the treasurers to ensure they visited the ministry to collect all thier outstanding receipts on statutory deductions and reflect same in thier records to enable them account for their assets and liabilities.
“We are suppose to operate on surplus not deficit. We are suppose to operate on asset not liability,” he stressed.
In his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Alhaji Tahiru Shettima, lauded the transformation being witnessed in the ministry under the present administration and urged the participants to key in into the Zulum Model..
In his goodwill message, the Accountant General of Borno who is also the Chairman Technical Committee on JAAC, Mai Adamu Yau, also tasked the participants on using the opportunity to improve themselves for more financial discipline at the third tier of government.
Other speakers include, Borno Auditor General for Local Government, Babagana Laminu and representative of the consultant for the programme.
Papers presented during the business session of programme include “Local Government Accounts- an IPSASs Compliant 1. IPSAS Budget, IPSAS Cash Book and Monthly Returns Cash Book Analysis” by Babagana Abba, “Local Government Accounts – an IPSASs Compliant 11. Bank Reconciliation Statement and Departmental Vote Books” by Usman Ali Mamuda, and “Local Government Accounts – an IPSASs Compliance 111. Advances and Deposit and Trial Balance” by Mustapha Ibrahim.
Others include “Preparation of Amnual Financial Statement using IPSASs – Cash Basis. Statements 1,2,3 and 4 & Other Disclosure Requirement (Schedules)” presented by Bukar Zanna, and “Auditing local government accounts and records the best practice. Audit Planing and Approaches, Audit Evidence, Management Letter and Independent Audit Report” by Fatima Tahir.
