The Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants (ACCA) UK, has called for partnership with the office of the Kogi State Auditor General to ensure effective and efficient financial management.
The North Central Representative of ACCA, Mr Anthony Chukwuma made the promise when he led members of his executive on a courtesy visit the State Auditor General on Tuesday in Lokoja.
Mr Chukwuma said ACCA as the World leading international accountancy body that gives advice to financial bodies, designs programmes that add value to public and private sectors through trainings and retraining personnels to ensure improved human capital development.
According to him, ACCA has the expertise in auditing and financial management, seeks to identify gaps and organises capacity building programmes to bridge such gaps, adding that the body has tailored programmes of international standards that coud help actualize the Reform efforts of the current administration in Kogi State.
“ACCA works in the interest of the masses to ensure that managers of public funds are appropriately trained and regulated based on set financial staàbdards. The trainings organised by our body also exposes members to best financial practices and policies that has worked in other parts of the world in order for resources at their disposal get productively utilised,” he added.
He noted that ACCA actively sought to enhance the value for money in the the public sector through international research and takes progressive stances on global issues to ensure accountancy as a profession continues to grow in reputation and influence.
Responding, the Kogi State Auditor General, Alhaji Yakubu Okala said beyond what it used to be, the office through the support of the state Kovernor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has been able to break some records which were not obtainable since the creation of the state in financial management.
Okala noted that the State Auditor- General Office has recently established new departments; forensic, quality assurance and service improvement in an effort to meet up with the demands of modern realities.
According to the State Auditor General, before now financial transactions were done manual form, a clear departure from what currently obtains as transactions are now done electronically online realtime
“We are ready to partner in all ramifications. What we do basically as Office of State Auditor General is to audit the Public Accounts of the State and report back to the State House of Assembly. We are open and willing to work with ACCA team in the best interest of our people to allow for quality services so resources can meet the demands and yearning of the polulace,” Alhaji Okala explained.
While commending Governor Bello for his support and the approval given for the restructuring of the Office, Alhaji Okala assured that his office would not hold back collaborating with bodies that would afford the state government the opportunity to deliver on its primary responsibility to the people.
The State Auditor General expressed appreciation to the team for the visit, stating that the idea for training and retraining of his staff was a welcome development.
