Spend wisely, Ngangan says

 By HELEN TARAWA
Public servants will have to change the way they manage public funds, Finance secretary Dr Ken Ngangan says.
He told The National that with the introduction of the Integrated Finance Management System (IFMS), public servants would have to get out of their comfort zones.
“I call on public servants to embrace IFMS because it requires us to change the way we manage public funds,” he said.
“Gone are the days where public finances were managed in the dark, in secrecy because this new system is transparent which will disturb our comfort zones where we are used to carrying forms and hiding things. We cannot hide anything now.”
IFMS is an accounting system that is fully integrated to provide accountable, transparent and visible oversight of government transactions of public funds.
Ngangan said the old accounting system was set up since independence at a time when the economy was new and the budget was likely less than a billion kina.
“It’s a system that was established to manage smaller amounts of revenue,” he said.
“we can’t continue to use it to manage huge amounts so we need to change now that the budget has gone up to K16 billion.
“There’s a module for all components, including budgeting, accounting, payments and reporting – all in one.
“That’s why we call it Integrated Financial Management System.
It gives us the full information available in an accounting system.
“It’s a government directive which was only used in Finance, Treasury and Planning until I came into the department.
“I made the effort to have it rolled out.
“It was one of my big deliverables to see IFMS rolled out.”
IFMS was rolled out to 31 departments, including health, education, police, treasury, finance and national planning.
Ngangan said he wanted the system in all government departments.