The Katsina State Government has announced the engagement of accountants and payment of initiators as part of measures to address operational gaps and improve the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
The State Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Bello Kagara, disclosed this in Katsina on Thursday at a one-day follow-up capacity-building workshop for TSA operators, accountants and initiators.
Kagara said the training was part of the government’s efforts to strengthen efficiency, transparency and accountability in the state’s financial management system.
He said the government was committed to periodic training of personnel involved in the TSA process to enhance their skills and address emerging operational challenges.
‘The training will enable participants to identify gaps in the TSA process and recommend practical measures for improving its operations,’ he said.
Kagara described TSA operators as critical stakeholders because of their direct involvement in the day-to-day implementation of the system.
He said the government had identified challenges in the expenditure process, including gaps in the treatment of payment vouchers, appropriations and checks and balances.
The commissioner also disclosed that instances had been discovered where payments were made into accounts that were not those of the intended beneficiaries.
He said the identified lapses were being addressed through improved strategies and stronger controls within the state’s financial management system.
‘Effective implementation of the TSA requires the operators to clearly identify challenges and communicate them to the relevant technical authorities for prompt resolution,’ Kagara said.
He stressed that the objective was not to achieve a perfect system, which he said might not be possible, but to build an efficient system in which all stakeholders would consistently put in their best.
Kagara assured participants that recommendations arising from the workshop would receive serious consideration from the state government and relevant authorities.
He urged the participants to maintain high ethical standards, competence and commitment in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The commissioner expressed confidence that continuous capacity building and stakeholder engagement would contribute significantly to greater efficiency, accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.