ABSTRACT
The need for keeping prompt and accurate record of transaction in the government services of the receipt and disbursement of public fund cannot be over-emphasized. This is why the officers of the Accountant –General of the federation in whose hands this duty falls, has over the years been engaged in the determination of procedure to achieve an optimum effectiveness of these recordings.
The management of public fund regimes an appropriate and comprehensive accounting system. This has necessitated the formulation of a number of control measure to ensure accountability and probity right from the budget proposal level to the actual implementation.
As government spending grows, there is the need to do more than our tailing spending within appropriate amount as it is entirely possible to expend money without reaping the reward for such scientific. Thus, the need to evaluate the benefits and manage the costs become more essential. This is the enrollment of accounting, and its efficiency and effectiveness manifests the impact on the governed.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The management and control of the public fund is the heart of government administration. This calls for the need for an acceptable accounting system that will comprehensively prefer solution to the accounting needs of the government on public funds is governed by the financial (control and management). Act of 1958 A to E into section 154, dealing with the operation of the consideration Amendment of 1957 which inserted sub –154 A to E into section 154, dealing operation of the constrained therein formed the based of the financial Act which were replicated with slight changes in the 1979 and 1989 constitution, Higher to , government accounting is regulated by section 129 –145 of the constitution, the laws enacted by government in power, the financial control and management Act 1958, by decree and acts enacted from time to time.
The management and control of the public fund is invested on the federal ministry of finance and this rests on the shoulders of the Treasury now referred to as the office of the Accountant General.
In the treasury its self, functions and duties are streamlined to a set of guide. This is because government accounting is based strictly on cash”.The expenditure and receipts for the year are balanced and closed for the year and there is no transfer to the next period.
The financial regulation, treasury accounting manual, and regulation. That guide the treasury in the management and control of the public find of the government whose objective is service.
This study is directed to a division of the treasury the federal pay office, Enugu. It will be concerned mainly with the duties and functions of the office, the effectiveness of the accounting as it relates to the goals of the Government which is service. The study will also determines to what extent the principles, rules and regulation governing. The government accounting system is being utilized and its effect on the general public.
The federal pay office, Enugu which is the main focus of this work has the following as its main general duties:
i. Receiving and payment of cash.
ii. Keeping of cash book to record all the cash transaction
.
iii. Operation of a bank account on which cheques are drawn.
iv. Providing information on the cash position at a given date.Effectiveness of these duties are enhanced through the establishment of internal check system in its operation to minimize fraud and loss of funds. The federal pay officer is the head of this office. Going by the provision of financial regulation (ff) section 104 (II), the officer “ is entrusted with the receipts, custody and disbursement of public money and is required to keep one of the recognized cash books, the transaction in which are subsequence embodies in the accounts rendered by the accountant – general of the federation”
The office is segmented into eight (8) sections to facilitate efficient and effective performance of duties as stated above.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM:
There has always been the call for proper accountability of the public fund. The treasury being the custodian of the public fund, has as its motho: accountability probity and Transparency.
The federal pay office, Enugu, being part of the Treasury is bequeathed with the same moths. However, the office is saddled with a number of problems that hinder the effectiveness of the established Accounting system.
This study is focused on the following identified problems.
a. Delay in the preparation of final accounts monthly transcript
b. Delay in the statement.
c. Rate remittance / cash transfers
d. Inadequate method of revenue collection and control.
e. Inadequate staffing
This research work is set to profer a solution to these constraints that militate against the effectiveness of the established accounting system and its subsequent impact.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
In the light of the statements in 7.2, above this research aims at ascertaining the impact and significance of government accounting system and then identify the other courses of its ineffectiveness or other wise in the federal pay office, Enugu.
The study also aims at analyzing the following.
a. The role played by the office in ensuring accountability of the public funds.
b. The extent of compliance with the financial regulation and treasury circulates etc., on the disbursement of funds etc by persons or authorities entrusted with such responsibilities.
c. The extent to which fraud, misappropriation and embezzlement of public fund have persisted.
d. The cause of delay or outright neglect in the implementation of the laid down accounting principles, rules and regulation.
e. The extent to which inadequate and inexperience slaffing have contributed to the poor performance of the office in the government accounting system.
1.4.1 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In view of the points raised in the statement of problems above the following research questions were formulated.
a. Are the officers maning the key resuct area of the right caliba in terms of qualification and performance.
b. To what extent has the federal pay office stowed in enforcing the implementation of the rules etc.
c. To what extent to the ministries / department accountable to the federal pay office comply with the financial regulation and other guide in the performance of then duties.
d. What problems do the accounting officers uncounted in the course of their duties.
1.4.2 HYPOTHESIS:
As a guide to determining the effectiveness and impact of the above, the following hypothetical statements are necessary.
1. QUALIFICATION
HQ: The officers manning the key result area are not qualified.
HI: The officials manning the key result area are really qualified to do the job.
2. IMPLEMENTATION
HO: The federal pay office do not enforce the implementation of the rules.
HI: The federal pay office ensure that the rules are properly implemented.
3. COMPLIANCE
HO: The ministries / Department accountable to the federal pay office do not comply with the guide as provided in the financial regulation in the performance of their duties.
HI: The ministries / Department to a greater extent comply with the guide as provided in the financial regulation.
4. PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED:
HO: Accounting officers do not encounter any form of difficulty in the course of then duties.
HI: Accounting officers normally encounter problems in the course of their duties.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study is on how the federal pay office, Enugu, as a division of the Treasury, discharged it duties.
The main focus is on its comphance to the treasury requirement, the enforcement of the rules and regulation on the ministries / department accountable to it, the impact and effectiveness of the accounting system including the shortcoming.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
This research work is of great importance to the general public, the government and the researcher.
To the general public, it will help to educate them properly on the duties and function of the treasury in general and the federal pay office n particular.
It will serve as a front to the reduction of incidence of fraud and malpractice.
To the government, the outcome of this research will go a long way in making the government realize its objective as people will bemore aware of government intentions. It will as well enhance the implementation of government accounting procedure, thereby, solving some of the accounting problems in government establishments.
This work will expose the researcher to the mastery of the government accounting system and its procedures, which is different from commercial accounting system.