The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) recently organized a workshop on public financial management and international public sector accounting standards (IPSAS) in London, UK, raising eyebrows amidst Nigeria’s economic woes.
The workshop, held at the Copthorne Tara Hotel in Kensington from March 4 to March 9, 2024, aimed to address crucial financial management issues. However, critics are questioning the timing and location of such an extravagant event given the economic challenges facing the nation.
Titled ‘Public Financial Management and IPSAS Workshop for State Commissioners of Finance and Officials of OAGF’, the five-day program covered various topics including IPSAS implementation challenges in Nigeria and key issues in preparing IPSAS-compliant financial statements.
While government officials justify the workshop as an annual event necessary for capacity building, many Nigerians view it as a display of hypocrisy. At a time when citizens are urged to endure economic hardships, government resources are seemingly squandered on overseas workshops.
Bawa Mokwa, the director of press at the accountant-general’s office, defended the workshop, stating that it was approved by the National Economic Council and organized annually. However, the choice of London as the venue was justified by the availability of resident facilitators.
Critics argue that such workshops could have been conducted locally, saving significant costs and demonstrating a commitment to prudent financial management. Nigeria’s ongoing foreign exchange crisis and economic hardships demand responsible stewardship of public funds, not lavish expenditures on international events.
Despite efforts to address the country’s FX challenges, with billions still outstanding, extravagant expenditures by government officials continue to be a point of contention among citizens who bear the brunt of economic difficulties.