The Director, Finance and Accounts of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Mr. Godson Ordu, has endorsed the train-the-trainer workshop, which took place recently at the Institute’s headquarters in Wuse, Zone 7, Abuja, as the most needed kind of training for the accounting and audit staff of the Institute.
Speaking at the occasion, Ordu noted that, one of the objectives of the workshop was to train the account and audit staff at the headquarters of the Institute in line with government’s plan on ICT appreciation, adding that since the world was globalising, there was need for NICO to integrate modern trends in accounting standards in their work schedule, especially the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), which the Federal Government had recommended for all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Continuing, the Finance and Accounts Director highlighted that as part of the workshop objectives, the Accounts Department would be able to operate, using the electronic system of accounting (e-accounting), especially in the area of budgeting, accounting and administration of funds, because it criss-crossed all the spheres of financial appreciation, both in training, practice and professionalism.
His words: “Currently, the Institute operates the manual system of accounting and we are migrating from manual to a system of accounting where we can appreciate and understand what government requires from us and also our records; so that anybody can come and have access to what is happening. It is a way of training the staff to be in line with what is happening in the global accounting space.”
Ordu admitted that this would enable the Institute to at least be abreast of accounting trends, on the current issues in relation to government requirement on implementing world-wide ICT appreciation, just as it would also enable the accounts staffers to understand and appreciate the required standards by International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information (IPPIS), Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS), and the normal accounting system in terms of reporting.
Concluding, he said he had no doubt that the Consultant (from the Accounting Department of Nasarawa State University, Keffi) would deliver very well on the intellectual contract given to him by the institute, decrying the dearth of fund as a major challenge why such training could not be organised in the Zonal and State Offices of the Institute for now, assuring that it would be taken care of in the nearest future, once financial provisions are made.
On his part, the Consultant, Dr. Adebayo Adejola Paul, who is the Managing Consultant of White Knight Consulting Nigeria, pointed out that, as the world had become a global village and computerised, this kind of training was pertinent in all MDAs.
He informed that the training was to first computerise the accounting system in the Institute, using accounting packages in processing, preparing and presenting financial statements in the institute, further expatiating on the package introduced for the institute and why it was introduced.
“The package we are looking at in this particular workshop is H50, otherwise known as, Pitch3. This particular package has provision wherein you can now tailor it to suit what is obtainable in government agencies and Parastatals; so that at the end of this training, not only will the participants be empowered in the area of doing accounting under an IT environment, they will also be conversant with what is new in the profession in the world so that they can stand at par with their other professional colleagues.”
Concluding, the Consultant informed that, “the International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) has been on-going and with effect from 2016, all government ministries, departments and agencies are expected to adopt the International Public Sector Accounting Standard. That is why we are selecting this particular package we are using;” just as he also commended the effort of the Institute for organising the workshop as well as the enthusiasm of the participants.
In another vein, participants at the workshop have expressed satisfaction and commended the Management of the Institute for such a rare opportunity, saying it was a worthwhile experience, and noting that it will go a long way in enhancing the financial records management of the Institute.
In the words of Mr. Herbert A. Ogbe, Head of Audit Unit: “This training will help us to be abreast with what is happening; what the Federal Government is introducing us to is more of electronic accounting and less paper work. Like now, we are being asked to join the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information Standard (IPPIS), which is more of electronic accounting. That is, we will be sending our data to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directly straight from our computers; no more paper work. So, this training, as at now, is germane to us, mostly those in accounts and audit.”
Mr. Pius Kemepade, Head of Final Accounts Unit also shared his experience, assessing the performance of the Consultants as being interactive, practical-oriented and educative, which he opined, will improve the level of productivity, efficiency and accountability of the Accounts Department.
The one-week ICT Training in Accounting, the first of its kind in the Institute, which started on Thursday, 28th August, ended on Monday, 1st September, 2014, with 20 NICO accounts staffers in attendance.
Njideka Justina Dimgba
Corporate Affairs Unit
NICO HQ