By Augustine Aminu
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has partnered with Exploit Trust Limited to train finance and account staff of the service on the topic, ‘Emerging Issues In Public Sector Finance And Accounts’.
The training programme became imperative following several reforms initiated by the FIRS under the leadership of its Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji and new challenges posed by rapidly unfolding developments to tax bodies in the country and globally, especially as the public sector accounting and finance system is going through a number of evolutionary changes that they all need to be kept abreast of.
The training drew participants from different states of the federation and was held at the garden city of Port Harcourt, from 7th to 11th October, 2024.
The training therefore, was conceived in order to deepen knowledge of the Nigerian tax administrators especially finance and account staff of the FIRS so that they can have a deeper knowledge of their departments and deliver professionally.
The facilitator, Mr. Martin Nwaso, an accounting specialist, took the participants through the overview of public sector finance management, international public sector accounting standards (IPSAS), tax and tax accounting defined, tax responsibilities of MDAs, finance acts of 2019-2023, recommendations by the presidential committee and auditing in the public sector.
The state center coordinator for the training, Mr Stephen Ndep FIRS Port Harcourt said the training is coming at the right time, as it is inevitable for finance and account officers to be well informed about changes so as to be more relevant in their day to day duties.
He noted that the training is aimed towards positive transformation in the public financial management (PFM) sector.
Some of the participants during the five day training explained how the training will enhance their operations in their various zones, departments.
For Mr. Olaka Olaka Chindo, Imo/Anambra state Coordination IMA Owerri office of the FIRS, said the training will help him and other staff know how public finance are being accounted for.
“This training has enable us to understand how public funds spent in public establishment are being reported for, in the respective books of accounts”.
A manager from the FIRS Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa office, Ogunsola Adewale Waidi, said the training is bonding and interesting and is giving them the opportunity to resolve issues and problems as it relates to their department to meet up current trends in finance and accounting.
Mrs Mary Oghu, a deputy manager account unit of the Port Harcourt FIRS office, said this has given them the opportunity to enlarge their knowledge in their core area of public finance and account.
Also, an assistant manager with the FIRS, Abuja in the internal affairs department Veronica Tsuzom said her expectations have been met as the training has exposed her to new trends of accounting and auditing which she believes will help her contribute more to the development of her organization.
