Reforms helping better manage public funds

By LUKE KAMA
THE Finance Department had undertaken reforms in the past five years which have helped eradicate negative public perception of corruption and lack of trust in it, says Finance Secretary Dr Ken Ngangan.
Ngangan, who had been behind the reforms and changes in the public finance management system, was at the launching of the department’s five-year plan (2018 to 2022) with Finance Minister James Marape and Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari in Port Moresby yesterday.
The launching coincided with the inaugural annual meeting of the PNG Association of Government Accountants and Public Finance Managers.
“I am pleased to say today that the Finance Department now is not what it used to be five years back,” Ngangan said.
“The perception over the past years of corruption in the department and the lack of trust in it has completely changed, the department now is completely different.”
Ngangan said reforms to streamline and improve public finance management systems had put the department on a new footing.
The reforms include the installation of the Integrated Finance Management System (IMFS), the removal of the PNG Government accounting system and the installing of the Alesco payroll system, the introduction of cashless systems in so far as government revenue collections are concerned.
Ngangan said the plan was built on the significant public finance management reforms to streamline and improve the management of public finance. He urged government accountants, public finance managers to work with the department to implement the plan.