Business
Rivers Begins IPSAS Implementation, 2015
The Rivers State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Hon. Gogo Levi Charles, has said that the state will adopt the newly approved International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) in her 2015 budget preparation.
Charles made this known during the opening ceremony of a six day training workshop organised by the Ministry in partnership with the World Bank (SEEFOR Project) at the Ministry of Justice, Port Harcourt Wednesday.
The Commissioner said the workshop was organised to train accounting officers in the ministries departments and agencies (MDAs) of government on the operations of IPSAS to facilitate the preparation of 2015 budget which must comply to the standard.
He noted that the federal government has already approved the standard for 2015 budget, adding that Rivers State cannot be left out in presenting its budget in line with the new standard.“We have a cut-off date and we do not want the state to be left behind. The training becomes necessary to get accountants upgraded for the final transition to the new national budgeting standard”, he said.
In her speech, the consultant from World Bank Mrs Harriet Undeme, gave an overview of the new budget classification and chart of Accounts using IPSAS template.
Udeme said the state is prepared to train officers and also adopt international budgeting standard ahead of 2015 budget.
She called on the trainees to take the workshop seriously so as to make it easier for them during the budget preparation proper.
The workshop which will be in two batches would train representatives from the MDAs at the ICT centre from June 25th to July 14th 2014.
A participant who pleaded anonymity commended the state government for adopting the new World Bank standard, adding that the new programme would make it difficult for fraudulent act in the budgeting system.
He said the system would promote transparency and accountability.