Numbers add up for Bougainville accountants

The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) can now keep better track of its public finances following the recruitment of three donor-funded accountants.

The trio were engaged by the ABG Department of Finance through the Governance and Implementation Fund (GIF), a joint initiative of the governments of Bougainville, PNG, Australia and New Zealand.

Acting Secretary Brenda Tohiana said the department - which had previously faced complaints from ABG agencies unable to source funds - now had the expertise to provide regular financial reports.

“We have drawn the best from the field to strengthen the needs of the department,” Ms Tohiana said.

“The accountants have brought experience, good practice and ethics from the outside. Most of all, they have raised the quality of work to the next level.”

The accountants - a man and a woman from Bougainville, and a man from Madang - received special GIF-funded training to ensure their understanding of the ABG finance system.

Each monitors and reports on one of three accounts - the trust account, the revenue account, and the expenditure account. They also undertake internal audit tasks.

Monthly and quarterly reports go to the Department of Finance Secretary, the Chief Secretary and the Finance Minister.

“The training has helped us to customise reports, provide recommendations and corroborate figures,” expenditure accountant Andrew Sawa said.

“Internal auditing was non-existent before. Now we have the skills to develop informative reports. The next step is to improve the financial system.”

He said it had been a difficult job to convince staff to use the financial database, but they were now committed to the project, improving the integrity of ABG accounts.

Ms Tohiana said she was now able to focus on other priorities while the accountants attended to more technical tasks.

Australian High Commission Minister Counsellor Rod Hilton said the accountants were an example of the sort of practical support provided to the ABG by Australia and its GIF-partners.

“Well managed public finances are the foundation of good government and service provision,” he said.

"These accountants are doing valuable work by ensuring the ABG can make the best use of its available financial resources.”