How Idris improves governance via transparency in public finances

Kenechukwu Offie
Barely one year in office as the Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris has left no one in doubt that he had deliberately chosen not only to sing but to live-out the transparency and accountability ‘anthem’ wherever and whenever the occasion demands. He has carved a niche for the office, to the extent that due process has become the order of the day.

In one of his earlier outings within the period under review, precisely when received officers of the Nigerian Navy, he charged accountants and finance officers in the Millitary and government establishments to be transparent and strictly comply with government financial regulations.

He enjoined the officers to take a cue from the ongoing fight against corruption, where well respected serving and retired officers are being called to answer for their actions in the past, urging them not to be over ambitious, but to observe the ethics and professional dictates of their jobs, stressing that “the only thing that will deliver us as a nation is for us as individuals and as a nation to do the right thing at all times”.

In another development, the AGF has put an end to the numerous complaints in the past from state governments and other stakeholders arising from opaqueness and non-accountability in the management of government finances. Alhaji Ahmed Idris took the bull by the horn and delivered a template through the Finance Ministry to the Economic Management Team of the current administration on the way forward to end the perennial arguments between the state and the federal government on equitable sharing of the nation’s resources, notably, the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee(FAAC). (this info should be confirmed further)

The fact that the present administration’s mantra is tackling corruption in all its ramifications, transparency and openness are nonetheless key and the campaign has permeated the very fabric of the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, this is thanks to Alhaji Ahmed Idris.

In his recent interview with the Economic Confidential in Abuja, he had this to say: “It is a desire to institute discipline, good governance and trust. The government cannot be trusted if it says one thing and does another. The meager revenue that has been accruing is being judiciously used and there is fiscal discipline in management of public resources”.

“Let me give you an example in the previous administration. There was a time states’ governments kicked against savings. Now, because of what they know and what they have seen being practised by government of the day, they have decided to imbibe the culture of savings.

What am I trying to say? We have excess Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT). These are excess revenue from petroleum tax. When we get money over and above budgeted figure, the excess is always saved. If it were before, state governments and other stakeholders would say it should be shared”.

Meanwhile the savings culture has continued till date because this is being done transparently and all the stakeholders are aware of balances at any point in time. How transparent can the government be when all revenues accruing at any point in time is presented at all meetings of the National Economic Council where all the governors are present. This was one of the reasons Mr. Idris gave for the remarkable success being achieved by the present administration in managing finance even amidst the recession.

In the same vein, the provision of adequate and timely information on government finances has been one of the deliverables of the Chief Treasury Officer of the Federation. “The extent to which the public is availed of this information determines the level of trust the managers enjoy. Therefore, the need for a transparent public financial management cannot be over-emphasised.

Truly, it is an essential ingredient for democracy and good governance. As the steward of the nation’s funds, it is expected to constantly provide adequate, current information to the public on its activities, so says Ifeanyi Okereke in one of his recent feature article on transparency and accountability in management of public finances. Indeed, the Idris led administration has scored above average in this regard.

Two other areas where the Accountant General of the Federation has demonstrated enormous determination and courage in ensuring transparent and accountable public finance management are in the areas of the TSA and the IPPIS implementation. Under his leadership, the reform initiatives of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) have become house-hold names. While the TSA has gotten to it near ultimate intent with almost all the government agencies being enrolled, and leakages being plugged, the IPPIs has recorded tremendous push. As of now, apart from the previous MDA’s captured, the Nigeria police has been enrolled while the para-military and the military are at various stages of being integrated. Thus saving Nigeria huge sums of money being lost to ghost workers.

There is no doubt therefore, that the current Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, has raised the bar in the transparent management of the nations Treasury.

Offie, is director, Media, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Abuja.