It’s been 30 years but it’s here

FOR senior finance officer Gabi Kila, his 30-year dream of earning a university master’s degree has come true.
It came about on Friday when he was among 20 other employees of the Department of Finance to graduate with a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree.
He also holds a Bachelor of Public Policy Management degree.
Kila, who has worked at the Department for 30 years, paid tribute to Secretary for Finance Dr Ken Ngangan and corporate services head Joe Sapa for getting him into the university programme.
He said his personal commitment to balance work, family and studies all paid off in the end when he completed the programme and graduated.
“I’ve been wanting to learn and obtain at degree but it had not been possible until Dr Ngangan came around,” Kila said.
“It was a part-time programme so it was a challenge to balance work, family and studies but I was committed and achieved what I wanted.
“I hope to use the training and knowledge to support the secretary and senior management in the reforms of the public sector financial management system.”
Ngangan was equally proud when Kila and his colleagues became the second lot to graduate from the UPNG programme which is internationally recognised through the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountants (CIPFA) of the United Kingdom. Twenty of the pioneer group graduated last year.
“What we are witnessing here is the officers of the Department of Finance graduating as part of the 63rd graduation ceremony of the University of PNG,” Ngangan said.
“The Department of Finance embarked on a programme to train and upskill our officers working in the provinces and districts.
“We now have 20 that have graduated, we also have senior management officers who participated in the executive MBA programme.
“For the second year in a row we are graduating about 20 officers.
“We are upskilling officers so that they can do their jobs better, manage public funds better so that we see transparency and accountability in public finance management across the country.
“So what you see is provincial finance managers, district finance managers going back to the provinces and districts to serve the rural areas.
“This complements the roll-out of the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) so they would more equipped to manage and operate the system at the provinces and districts.
“This year we have invited public finance managers working across government agencies who have also participated in the specialised public finance and accountancy programme offered by UPNG in conjunction with CIPFA, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountants of , UK, which is being offered at PNGIPA.
“So this is an internationally recognised degree that is offered in PNG.
“Those who have now graduated are automatic members of CIPFA, they are receiving international certification.
“We will now have better qualified, skilled public finance managers working and that should give confidence to the Government and people.
“Slowly but surely this will make a lot of difference in the way we do business,” Ngangan said.