By joshua 
Ebonyi LGSC Trains DC Coordinators, Principal Officers On Fund Management
By Emmanuel Agbo, Abakaliki
The local Government Service Commission in Ebonyi State in collaboration with Uduchi enterprise Nigeria LTD have organized a 3 day impactful workshop for development centre coordinators along side principal officers including HPM’s TR’s, AO’s, FO’s, Cashiers, IA’s and HOD works/ PRS from the five local Government Areas and 21 Development Centres of Ebonyi South zone.
The training was held at Local Government service commission headquarters Abakaliki, the State capital.
The Workshop which has its theme as: Plugging The Gap – Local Government Fund Management, was held previously for Ebonyi North and Central Zones.
The workshop was aimed at inculcating the participants on the prudent and effective management of local government funds in their respective offices.
Speaking while flagging off the workshop, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Uchenna Igwe congratulated the Commission for embarking on the workshop, saying it would help to correct anomalies and strengthen the system.
The commissioner applauded Governor Nwifuru for approving the workshop, describing it as very apt and called on development centre coordinators to work synergy with the principal officers to ensure proper and effective service delivery in their respective offices.
The commissioner announced that the State Government has cleared backlogs of pensions and gratuities for retirees in the twelve local Government Areas from 1996 to date remaining only Ohaukwu from the one billion naira mapped out for that purpose every month, disclosing the readiness of the State Government to develop chart where every retirees would be paid immediately without delay.
On his part, the Chairman of the Commission, Chief Romanus Nwasum, who was impressed by the enthusiasm of the participants including the Coordinators, appreciated the State Governor and all that made the workshop a success and enjoined the participants to put what they learnt into practice for proper fund management and accountability in the Local Government System.
The Commissioner One of the Commission, Architect Augustine Nwechara, while appreciating Governor Nwifuru for the enabling environment given to the commission to operate, urged the participants to assist the Commission in changing the narrative of the State Local Government System through implementation of the outcome of the workshop in their offices.
Earlier, the principal consultant/ Chief executive officer Uduchi enterprises Nig. LTD Uduma O. Uduma appreciated the commission for organizing such impactful workshop and urged the participants to take what they learnt back to their different offices for optimal service delivery.
He cautioned the participants against mismanagement of funds, embarking on shoddy projects, engaging unprofessionals in projects execution and the use of substandard materials especially bridges and culvert to avoid collapse.
Meanwhile, participants in the 3-Day Workshop have advocated return of Revenue outlets back to the trained and designated Revenue Enforcement Officers at the Local Government level to ensure proper generation, enforcement and collation of Internally Generated Revenue IGR in the State.
This was contained in the communique drafted and signed at the end of workshop.
The Chairman of the Communique drafting Committee and Coordinator of Akaeze Development Centre, as well as Vice Chairman, Forum of Development Centre Coordinators, Ebonyi State, Chief Chinasa Okorie, flanked by his Co. Chairman and DPM of Ivo Local Government Area, Comrade Kingsley Okoro, said the participants also requested that schedule of duties should be clearly streamlined and strictly adhered to by Principal Officers of Local Government Areas and Development Centres to avoid clash of interest and ensure greater efficiency and responsiveness to service delivery in the Local Government System, return of pay rolling and payment of Local Government Staff back to the Local Government Payroll Department for proper pay rolling and remuneration of Local Government Staff, synergy and utility in governance among key operators for effective functioning of the Local Government System.
They also requested that Management of Local Government Areas and Development Centres should ensure proper Bookkeeping and efficiency in reconciliation of Accounts in line with IPSAS to promote Accountability while due process, transparency and ethical standard should be employed for viable and sustainable infrastructural development in the Local Government System.
There were Paper Presentations on boosting Local Government efficiency and finances, presentation and preparation of financial statements of local government accounts as well as Local Government Infrastructural Development among other captivating topics by bureaucrats during the workshop while Participants were issued with Certificate of participation.