The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) of Nigeria has partnered with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House of Representatives to digitize the Committee’s operation using a modern electronic document management system.
The Council facilitated deployment of Globodox Enterprise Electronic Document Management Solution (EDMS) to enable the Committee seamlessly carry out its statutory role of ensuring probity and accountability in the nation’s financial system.
The House of Representatives Deputy Majority Leader, Honourable Idris Ahmed Wase, who represented the Speaker of the House, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, presented a plaque to the Executive Secretary/CEO, FRC, Mr. Daniel Asapokhai in appreciation of the contribution of FRC at the unveiling of the new digital platform by the Public Accounts Committee in Abuja.
Hon Wase commended the Council for stepping up to the challenge, adding that the system will go a long way to assist in the smooth operation of PAC. He said that PAC has taken a giant stride which is unprecedented in the history of National Assembly.
According to him, “This great feat will certainly go a long way to simplify your operations, reduce task time and enhance the efficiency of the committee to engendering probity, transparency and accountability in our public sector”.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Chairman of PAC of the House of Representatives, Mr. Kingsley Chinda, applauded the FRC for its role in ensuring the digitization of PAC’s documents.
He said the consultants engaged by the PAC has completely digitised all existing documents including reports and responses of MDAs dating back to seven years across more than 800 MDAs.
Hon. Chinda emphasised that before the implementation of the digital project: “the PAC Secretariat had only three functional computers, a handful of technical and support staff without requisite skills, lack of competences in report writing and poor modern tools such as computers and laptops to effectively and efficiently deliver their jobs.”
He further added that through the project: “PAC now has fully-installed electronic document management and archiving facility”.
He stressed that: “henceforth, no hard copies of annual report submissions will be accepted from the MDAs; likewise all the MDAs will receive PAC’s submissions electronically and make their submissions through the newly-opened website for PAC.”
Mr Asapokhai revealed that the FRC was moved to support PAC after noting the difficulty the Committee was going through in accessing physical documents submitted by MDAs, a situation that negatively affected its operation.
He opined that it is a step in the right direction, which will save the MDAs money, cut down on paper usage and printing costs while bringing efficiency to PAC operations.
