By Walter Wilson Nana
Martin Ojong, Treasurer General, Southwest Province, has expressed satisfaction that the 2007 financial year was a positive one as his office raised FCFA 20 billion as Fiscal, Customs and Ancillary Revenue though they instead received an important budgetary package of about FCFA 17 billion.
He made the revelation during the third quarterly coordination meeting of Southwest Provincial Treasury Accountants, which took place Friday, December 14 at the conference room of The Pan African Institute of Development, PAID, Buea.
"This comfortably cushions our budgetary expenses and permits the transfer of funds to ACCT. Now, revenue collected goes directly to the unique Treasury Account in Yaounde," he revealed.
The Southwest Provincial Treasury boss cautioned his collaborators to be watchful on the multiplicity of operations to be effected to permit a trouble-free transition from one financial year to the other. "You will be expected to present the following accounting documents; End of Year Report, justified situation of outstanding payments, general activity report,
ensure absolute conformance between auxiliary
registers and general balance of accounts at SCTIC, credit balances of
all third-party accounts must be justified by effective existence of
the corresponding physical documents and the end of year
regularisations and corrections."
He reminded them of the new system of payments for banks and State
Treasuries in the CEMAC Zone, which went operational September 21.
Ojong re-iterated the strict respect of rules, regulations and texts in force as concerns public finance, which are prescriptions which must neither be ignored, violated nor modified. The inclusion of all required supporting and justifying documents, reinforcement of formal and regularity controls, respect of budgetary nomenclature and its specifications and the discharge of duties with probity.
The Treasurer General observed with dismay that most Municipal
Treasurers are not yet ready for the new dispensation. "I wish to
remind you to present your Management Accounts in total respect of the
instructions in place and the prescribed deadlines," he said
He made a plea to his collaborators to be focussed, insightful,
performance-oriented and dedicated in their noble course, which is that
of safeguarding public fortune, faithfully retracing the totality of
state operations and rendering accounts of their management.
However, the Treasurer General mentioned some difficulties faced by his department in the Southwest Province. These include; dilapidating and un-refurbished structures, inadequate security, setbacks in conveying funds, not enough budgetary credits, lack of personnel and working materials.
Mayor, Buea Municipality, Charles Mbella Moki said the economic growth of Cameroon has been entrusted in the hands of financiers, while exhorting them to be disciplined in the operation of their activities.
Bernard Ndode Mesape, Secretary General in the Southwest Governor's cabinet, prescribed the respect of the rules of good management to the Southwest Treasury Accountants. They should be organised and show alertness in their activities," he commented.
The Southwest Treasury Accountants were also schooled by Magistrates and resource persons from the Audit Bench of the Supreme Court of Cameroon on; "Presentation, Role and Missions of the Audit Bench" and "Control and Judgement of Management Accounts."
According to Ojong, the exposés enlightened them on the perfect entente between the Treasury Accountants and their Auditors as well as instil a confidence-based relationship.
proud colonial tax collector
Posted by: Ma Mary | Tuesday, 25 December 2007 at 11:02 AM