The impact of public accountant in the implementation of accountability,probity and transparency in the federal civil services

The primary data collection was purely based on the questionnaire/research questions administered to the civil servants as well as my interview with the director, and accountants, auditor-general for the federation and telephone conversation with the accountant-general of the federation, (AGF)), director treasury services office of the accountant-general of the federation and the permanent secretary federal ministry of education, all in Abuja.

The primary data formed the frame and pillar upon which this research work was founded.

Source of Secondary Data

Secondary data collected was based on textbook information, extracts from national dailies, monthly magazines, journals civil service guideline, handbook on federal ministry of education, treasuring circulars and the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. All these references gave this research work the necessary backing.

The problem encountered in the course of data collection for this research ranges from waiting for several hours before reading out a research person for interview, booking and failing of several appointments to a lot of expenses insured in fueling my car to those places as well as leaving my job to suffer on such occasion I went out for data collection.

Other problems were being able to convince most of the key officers that the questionnaire, interviews and telephone calls are merely for academic exercise. Worst still was that I was denied the opportunity of seeing the year 2001 approved draft of the federal ministry of education in spite of my former position in that ministry. Again, it was observed that the disbursement of the capital vote was seriously under the ambit of the permanent secretary. The research succeed through interviews key officers in position.

CHAPTER FOUR

0. 
   PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
   

To prove either of the hypothesis right or wrong lets have a look at the details of the approved recurrent expenditure of the federal ministry of education for the 1999 and year 2000 fiscal year respectively in respect of schools in the south-east geo-political zone for our illustration.

Similarly in the year 2000 a total sum of one billion, six hundred and fourteen million eight hundred and fifty-five thousand, seven hundred and sixty naira (N1,614,855,760) was released for thirty seven (37) schools in the states in the federation and the ten (10) schools in the south-East geo-political zone got as follows in table D below:

Similarly in the year 2000, a total sum of two billion two hundred and forty-seven million, three hundred and forty three thousand seven hundred and twenty five naira (N2,247,343,725.00) only was approved in the recurrent expenditure under overhead cost for the 37 unity schools in the states I the federation, and the ten (10) unity schools in the states in the zone got as follows in table F below:

The bursars (the public accountants) and the principles are the principal officers that controls the recurrent expenditure of their various unity schools. While the principal approves, the Bursar pays of this amount in the personnel cost, teaching and non-teaching staff one expected to be paid their monthly salaries along with other allowances like leave grant, rent subsidy, utility, meal subsidy, entertainment and their annual increments.

The comparison of the 1999 fiscal year and 2000 allocation showed some significant differences in all aspects. In the 1999 fiscal year, a sample of ten (10) unity schools in the south-east geo-political zone received a total allocation of one hundred and fifty-five million, six hundred and fifty thousand, and twenty four naira (N155,650.024) only. But in the year 2000, they received a total allocation of one hundred and seventy six million, seventy two thousand five hundred and eight naira.

(N176,072,508.00) only. Tables C and D above showed this on personnel cost (emolument. The difference between the 1999 fiscal years allocation and that of year 2000 stood at twenty four million, four hundred and twenty two thousand, four hundred and eighty-four naira (N24,422,484.00) only.

The bursar (public accountant) and the principal of each of these unity schools are required as a matter of policy to submit their staff strength of their establishment in their institution every year and render amount of their expenditure on both personnel cost and overhead cost i.e. make monthly returns of expenditure incurred to the federal ministry of education, headquarters, Abuja.

But, the truth of the matter was that most of the public accountants in consent with their principles do not comply with these regulations. For instance, federal government college, Enugu is expected to meet the obligations of their staff as they fall due, but they complain of lack allocation. When this allocation comes their salaries are wither delayed and payment made in arrears so that the interest accruing from it at the bank can go to the bursar and principal or denied in case of Federal Government College Nise where staff are told that the name of the college was omitted in the quarterly allocation. What a funny story!

Again, in year 2000, five officers of the letters since July 1999 have not been paid their entitlement attached to their promotions. When the researcher asked the reason for the delay when the funds to pay those staff are available, he replied that their payment would detail their end of the financial year if they have surplus. Yet, the bursar (public accountant) most often withdraw with the consent of the principal a reasonable sum of money from this sub-head one (personnel cost) for personal use. This practice was commonly discovered among all the unity schools; yet the staff salaries are in arrears of months. At other time, they fix these amount with a bank and make interest out of the bulk sum deposited. There are other secrets in the manipulation of schools sub-head one account otherwise called the personnel cost which will not be disclosed here for security reasons since they pleaded for faith in the handling of the figures supplied at Abuja.

Overhead cost otherwise called other charges involves all allocations that fall between sub-head 2 to subhead 9 and 12 for unity schools. These includes allocations on: sub head 2: local traveling and transport.

Sub-head 3: Utility services

Sub head 4: Telephone services

Sub head 5: Stationery

Sub head 6: Maintenance of office furniture and equipment

Sub head 7: Maintenance of motor vehicle and capital assets

Sub head 8: Public relations

Sub head 9: Grants and subvention

Sub head 12: Miscellaneous expenses.