Defence officials undergo fiscal management training

The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces Joint Chief of Staff (JCOS), Maj Gen Joseph Musanyufu, on Friday closed the two-day Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs workshop on Public Financial Management (PFM) Reforms.

The workshop was held from 3rd to 4th August at Mbuya hill Defence Ministry Headquarters in Kampala.

Participants were drawn from financial heads of department, divisions, sections and some senior military leaders.

The Joint Chief of Staff noted that the workshop aimed at identifying systems and controls that can be used to improve accountability and transparency in the use of public funds.

He called for the need for transparency and reliable accounting systems to improve performance in all public departments, and urged participants to build on the acquired knowledge to improvement fiscal management and service delivery.

Participants reviewed the following PFM reforms during the workshop; legal and regulatory frame work, fiscal systems and processes involved, human resource development and the desire to embrace technological advances to improve transparency and accountability.

They agreed that despite the current government PFM reforms that aim at increasing and sustaining performance, there should be continuous training efforts towards this cause.

The workshop drew various facilitators from other government financial divisions.

It was earlier opened by the Minister of State for Defence in charge of General Duties, Col (Rtd) Charles Engola, who advised finance personnel to always act professionally and strictly adhere to their code of ethics.

The ministry of Defence and veterans’ affairs Senior Human Resource Officer, Mr. Cox Alfred Anguzi, thanked the UPDF leadership for facilitating the training and requested the ministry to constantly avail such trainings for performance enhancement.

Other participants, included the Ministry of Defence permanent secretary, Mrs Rosette Byengoma, Under Secretary Finance and Administration Mrs. Buturo Edith, UPDF Chief of Pensions and Gratuity Col Metland Bitumbika, UPDF Deputy Chief of Logistics Col Wilfred Jackson Mulondo, among other senior Defence ministry and UPDF officials.