GIFMIS to manage public funds

The country is implementing the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) as part of the Public Financial Management Reform Programme to improve its fiscal discipline and macro-economic stability.

The Controller and Accountant General’s Department is working in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance to implement the programme.

GIFMIS, an integrated computerized financial management system, would serve as government’s official accounting system for budget preparation and implementation, accounting and financial reporting as well as cash and assets management in all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and also metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs).

Mr Siraj Tanko, an Accountant and a resource person with GIFMIS, said this on Monday at a two-day sensitisation workshop for about 30 heads of departments and their accountants on how to implement the GIFMIS in Cape Coast.

GIFMIS is aimed at promoting efficiency, transparency and accountability in public financial management through rationalization and modernization of budgeting and public expenditure management of the Government of Ghana (GoG).

The System is being implemented with support from development partners namely the World Bank, Department for Foreign and International Development (DFID), the European Union (EU) and the Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA).

Mr Tanko said GIFMIS would be used to manage all public funds such as the Consolidated Fund, Internally Generated Funds, donor funds and statutory funds at the national, regional and district levels as well as improve the efficiency and effectiveness of revenue collection of GoG.

Mr Gilbert Nyaledzigbor, Head of Public Relations at the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, said in order to ensure smooth implementation of the System, seven MMDAs including Cape Coast, Accra, Kumasi, Ho and Tarkwa-Nsuaem have been selected for piloting.

He said all was set for the smooth take-off of the programme and that offices and equipment had already been acquired with the next step being to train users of the System soon after the sensitization programmes.

Mr Daniel Sahnoon, Internal Oracle Expert and Consultant for GIFMIS, said the system will enhance the work of MDAs and MMDAs, and also move them away from manual auditing, and appealed to all to get on board.