Public Works Ends Financial Awareness Forum

Public Works Ministry has ended a two day Financial Management and Control workshop in Gbarnga, Bong County for seventy of its staff from across the country. The workshop was intended to provide understanding to staff of the ministry on the government’s new financial rules and policies.

According to an official if the ministry, the two-day workshop placed emphasis on   Financial Rules, Public Financial Management Regulations, Monitoring and Evaluation, as well as Travel Ordinance, among others.

Mr. Abraham Samukai, Comptroller of the Public Works Ministry expressed the belief that justice would be done to government’s expenditure if the participants were to be abreast of its financial policies, adding that a system has already been put into place to properly monitor staff from the ministry.

“Public works, being one of the biggest spending entities of government, has set up some departments, including procurement, internal control system, as well as the development of financial manual, among others to ensure compliance,” he said, emphasizing that with the new financial rules in place, employees who usually travel will be knowledgeable about the channel to obtain allowances for trips and programs especially sponsored by donors.

The Gbarnga forum which also focused on contract management, discussed how county engineers can monitor and manage contracts to ensure that the work is well done in the interest of the citizens, noting that it was possible that a staff can be held accountable for bridging any of the financial rules and regulations.

He expressed the belief that the detailed explanations provided Public Works staff more understanding about the government’s financial management regulations.  The participants appreciated the efforts of the ministry to ensure fiscal discipline, saying such forum will help employees of the Ministry in understanding how government’s monies are to be used.

The seventy participants were drawn from the various branches of the ministry, including administration, operations, technical services, community service, WATSAN, as well as community awareness and social services.