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(Lokoja)
Kogi State Government says it has begun training for accountants at the Primary Healthcare Development Agency (KSPHCDA) from its 21 local government areas to ensure transparency and accountability in service delivery.
The Executive Director of KSPHCDA, Dr Abubakar Yakubu, while declaring open three-day training for such staff in Lokoja on Wednesday, said the training was also for effective implementation and fund management of the state’s Primary Healthcare Under One Roof (PHCUOR).
Yakubu noted that the training was the first of its kind for Local Government Authority (LGHA) Account Officers of the KSPHCDA in the state, since inception.
According to him, PHCUOR is a policy for the integration of all PHC services under one authority (the SPHCDA) to reduce fragmentation in PHC management and service delivery.
He said: ”No doubt, you may be familiar with some account procedures but you need to understand that some new procedures have been injected which must be followed and complied with.
”In other words, the system of none and very poor handling and retirement of funds will not be tolerated.
”Funds from the State and Development Partners for activities will be monitored so as accounting officers, proper handling and management of fund is required of you.”
He explained that SPHCDA had also begun plans to build capacity for key players in the PHCUOR structure,saying the resource person was well equipped to deliver on the mandate of enriching their capabilities in handling and managing funds as it affects the LGHA accounts in the various LGAs.
The Executive Director stressed that the commitment, efficiency and effectiveness of the accountants in the management of resources would depend on an excellent understanding of their roles and duties.
He noted that the NPHCDA had made remarkable progress in primary health care development in Nigeria, but observed that the system remained weak due to multiple challenges in various aspects of the health system framework.
”Fragmentation in the Governance system has continued to undermine the delivery of primary health care in Nigeria.
”At the State level, the concurrent and overlapping responsibilities in administrative framework such as SMOH, MLG & CA, SMoWA, LGSC has constituted significant challenges to the delivery of quality and efficient health services.
”It is in response to the foregoing that the NPHCDA in collaboration with key stakeholders introduced the PHCUOR initiative designed to improve PHC implementation at the State and LG levels,” he added.
He, therefore, urged the participants to put in their best for the Agency’s achievements.
One of the Resource Persons, Mr Olajide Samuel, an Associate Accountant, said the essence of the training was for the participants to know the new trend in accounting profession and to be able to apply it to their job.
He added that at the end of the training,he and colleagues were expected to have a better knowledge about Public Fund Management and Retirement, Accounting Information System, Functions of Account Department, Bank Reconciliation, among others.
