Don’t blame accounting software for errors – AG

Public budget managers have been warned by lawmakers and the Auditor General not to blame the new accounting system for the persistent bookkeeping blunders in their audit reports.The call came as the parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) grilled officials from the Rwanda Local Development Support Fund (RLDSF) over errors in the their financial statements among other discrepancies in the 2011 Auditor General’s report.A year ago, government adopted a new Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), moving away from Sage Pastel accounting softwareThe Ministry of Finance organised and conducted trainings of the new system.Lawmakers as well as Auditor General, Obadiah Biraro, stressed that if some institutions managed to adapt to the new software it should be the case with other institutions and departments.MP Jean Baptiste Musemakweli said, “If there are departments that use it and get a clean audit, what is the problem? That is an issue you should look into. The issue is that the people who notice errors seek guidance from the Ministry of Finance to help them out, but others simply don’t until the AG finds out”In his latest audit report, the Auditor General states that though there is noticeable improvement in the quality of accounting, there are still persistent fundamental bookkeeping errors which is time wasting in executing and finalising audits.The report states that the introduction of IFMIS in most public entities helped to provide budget agencies with a better tool for budget tracking and monitoring, and facilitated them to capture transactions on timely basis but most users have not mastered how to use it.MP Marie Claire Ingabire said; “The former system, SAGE Pastel, had problems and that’s why this new system was brought in. I know the system is new but we would be taking a step backward if we said that a system which came to help us make improvements is the problem itself.”“My take is that what is lacking is the effort and willingness that one puts in to rectify mistakes. That’s what makes a difference. And the Auditor General has consistently noted that if appropriate effort was put in, error would reduce”Supplementing on the committee’s deliberations, Biraro said: “I have signed reports with clean audits. It is true. Let us concentrate on the person. A machine will not do accounting for a human being. If you are not an accountant, don’t use FMIS”“If you do not monitor your FMIS, then you are in problems. The institutions that got a clean audit report, like the Ministry of Agriculture, came to my office and I gave them options”The Auditor General’s report also indicates that though there was noticeable cooperation from districts towards the audit process, some chief budget managers, especially in Central Government agencies, Government Business Enterprises and some ministries do not actively and timely participate in the audit process.

National

Don’t blame accounting software for errors – AG