Agreement to help dept staff

 The Department of Finance and the University of PNG have signed an agreement to see department staff undertake management and accounting courses at the university.

The course will hopefully help staff members enhance their capabilities to manage public finance, Finance Secretary Dr Ken Ngangan said.

He presented a K343,500 cheque to the School of Business to be used to fund resources as well as to pay for the tuition fees of the staff who woud be studying at the university this year. 

Ngangan said the Finance Department needed staff who were highly trained in public finance management. 

“Our department is mandated to be the custodian of public finance and the expectation of the government and the general public on us is enormous. To do that better, we need to be better trained,” he said.

Ngangan said the project started last year when 25 staff members were sponsored to study.  

He said there would be another 30 going in this year and the number would continue to increase. 

The Dean of School of Business, Prof Lekshmi Pillai thanked the Department of Finance for honouring its agreement.

The Department of Finance is looking at including financial managers in other government departments in this initiative, and the programme will extend to the University of Technology, Pacific Adventist University and Divine Word University.