MFDP Climaxes Public Financial Management Awareness in Margibi, Grand Bassa Counties

The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning through the Department of Comptroller and Accountant General over the weekend Climaxed a two-week of robust awareness on Public Financial Management in Margibi and Grand Bassa counties.

Prior to the exercises in Margibi and Grand Bassa, it had been held in Montserrado and Bomi Counties.

It was geared towards informing citizens across the four counties: Montserrado, Bomi, Margibi and Grand Bassa on how the government collects public resources and how those resources are spent in the right direction for development purposes.

And it was held under the theme: ‘’ Public Financial Management & You ‘’ with its venue at the Grand Bassa Community College campus (GBCC).

Making remarks at the opening in Margibi County, the director for Accounting Treasury /Technical Services, Mr. Dee D. Sandman, a proxy of Hon. Janga A. Kowo, expressed delight with the assigned task.

According to Sandman, Public financial management is the process that guides financial officers, comptrollers and accountants in discharge of government's resources and how those resources are managed.

He noted that public resources are resources that belong to all citizens across the country. ‘’ The moment you talk about PFM, the first thing that comes to our minds is the budget, and when you talk about the budget, the first thing you talk about is revenue because revenue is the function of any economy. ‘’ says Sandman.

Sandman stated that the word "Budget" is about projection, it is not money that is sitting somewhere. He said that all revenue sources are determined from where the government gets the resources from to do the budgetary process for a particular fiscal year.

He says when the government pays school fees for all public Universities across the country it is called PFM in action because a portion of the money comes from the budget.

Sandiman explained the roads that citizens travel on from one destination to the next come from the taxes the government collects, and it is called PFM.

At the Grand Bassa Community College President, Dr. Samuel K. Monwell making remarks termed the PFM awareness as "joy and excitement", for the team from the Ministry of Finance and Development planning to brace the storm to cross the entire bridge just to inform students at the university.

‘’ I am excited to receive the team from the ministry of finance and development planning, especially seeing you crossing the bridge by bracing the storm to come and inform us’’ says Dr. Monwell.

According to him, Public Financial Management awareness on Grand Bassa Community college campus will give students a broad knowledge and picture on what PFM stands for, what are some of the reforms the government has implemented from 2018 to present.

He pointed out that the ministry of finance and development planning support to the University is timely and appreciates the kind of partnership shown and built over the years. "We depend on you for everything, especially meeting our salary support, meeting our allotment and all the free tuition at the University. Today awareness is good for our students and we plead for more engagement in the county and on Grand Bassa University campus again", Dr. Monwell adds.