Accountability vital at workplace

ACCOUNTABILITY in the workplace is something every manager wants to have.
Accountability has a clear link to higher work performance, but experts indicate that it results in improved competency and commitment to work, increased employee morale, and work satisfaction.
And that is the challenge to all members to parliament to get into the habit of acquitting for public funds.
The Government in the last five years has disbursed huge amounts of money for the first time to the provinces and districts.
Every year, over millions that equated to billions were transferred from Waigani to sub-national governments.
Unfortunately, there was inadequate capacity at the district level to manage large amounts of public funds allocated to the districts.
Department of Implementation and Rural Development has always pointed out that despite the Government allocation of huge amount of money to the districts, the capacity of the districts was not enough to cater for them.
And that is the biggest problem on the ground – building the capacity of the districts to implement the public funds allocated to them successfully.
At the end of the day, it was important that all the funds allocated were properly acquitted.
Under the district development authority structure, that responsibility belongs to the district administration to provide those acquittals as it is not the duty of the MPs.
The MPs are not responsible for compiling reports. They keep the paper work and make decisions and when they do not have them compiled, then it reflects badly on leaders.
That is why district and provincial treasury staff should perform as committed and honest public servants.
They should know their roles and not mix it with politics.
Hence, it is important to hire public servants who are educated to a level where they are competent.
The reports are important as it will enable the department to check whether the public money was spent on the right areas as provided for under the guidelines.
It is important to tell the government how the money was spent.
And people need to get into the habit of auditing funds particularly public funds.
If you take responsibility for your own actions, you show accountability.
Public servants need to take ownership and lead in service delivery and the district development authority is the best possible opportunity to build our villagers and deliver services.
Acquitting a grant means accurately reporting on the funded activities and the expenditure of funding.
Grant reports – providing artistic and financial information – are required on completion of your project.
Acquittal is a formal condition of funding.
If you do not provide a satisfactory grant report at the times and in the manner detailed in your funding agreement the Government will not make any further payments that may be due to you, and you will be ineligible to apply for further grants.
A government is accountable for decisions and laws affecting its citizens; while an individual is accountable for their acts and behaviours.
Would be interesting to see the 2020 and 2021 acquittals.