By Walter Wilson Nana
Ernest Elema Bokandjo, Southwest Regional Controller of Finance is happy that about 75 percent of the budget allocated for the Region for 2012 was executed. But he is unhappy with the inadequacies recorded in his network, especially in the area of relevant personnel to furnish his office with the much needed data to better do his assignments. At the close of the launching of the 2013 Finance Year for the Southwest Region, Thursday, January 10, Bokandjo granted this exclusive interview to iCameroon.com
Read On!!
What is the launching of the financial year all about?
Ernest Elema Bokandjo, Finance Controller, Southwest Region
It is a moment of communion between the hierarchy of the Ministry of Finance, the stakeholders in the ministry, their collaborators and the actors in the channel of expenditures. We bring to the knowledge of all the latest information in the finance law, the tax code, the customs regulations and more. Everybody must be abreast of what the fiscal year is going to look like.
Are there innovations for 2013?
There are many. This year, we will enter into the full implementation of the law governing the fiscal policy of the state. This will take us into the implementation of the Programme Budget. This is the era of planning – programming – budgeting system. This time, accreditation will be done to vote holders on the presentation of their recent pay slip(s). We will not allow people who do not have a link with the administration or people who are retired to be committed to our budget.
How much budget has been allocated for the southwest Region for 2013?
The Minister of Finance sent a representative for this 2013 budget launch for the Southwest Region. He’s in a better position to answer this worry of yours. If I had that information, I will give it to you with ease. The only thing I know is that the state budget has been increased, which means the money has to be taken from somewhere. I will also indicate the scope of people paying taxes has increased.
What was the consumption rate of the 2012 budget in the Southwest Region?
The treasurers in the Region did a good job in the consumption of their respective budgets, following the activities in they had and operations to undertake. The problem I had with them was the late forwarding of data and the absence of personnel made it difficult for the department of budget to appoint divisional officers. This forced Council Treasurers to become controllers in their structures and Sub-Divisions. The Council Treasurers have no hierarchical link with the Divisional or Regional Finance Controllers. They are not obliged to send their reports to two different levels of hierarchy. So, they send their reports to their boss in the treasury department, who authorises them to do payments in their jurisdiction. Hence, the treasury network is more reliable as far as figures for the execution of budget is concern. In the Finance Control network, we deal with people we don’t have official link with them. We’re not in a position to punish the Divisional Officer. His or her hierarchy is the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO and not the Finance Controller. So, you will see that the DO, SDO go ahead and sign documents without taking responsibility for them. The Southwest Region did not do badly in the execution of the 2012 budget allocated for them but our problem is with the working mechanisms in place. Our control network is not complete. The other part of the channel is not cooperating. That’s our problem. But from the information at my disposal, I will put our consumption rate for 2012 at 75 percent.
What are some of the difficulties you encountered in 2012?
The biggest of our problems was the collection of data on our activities in the divisions and council areas. The investment budget did come late, especially in a crucial moment of the year, when we had a new Governor appointed for the Region. He had to begin putting in place some of the commissions, which took some time. This prompted a late start for the execution of the investment budget. However, we thank the hierarchy for the extension of the execution of the 2012 investment budget. We look forward to get to the optimum with this new twist.
Your expectations for 2013?
We look forward to explain and ensure that all the stakeholders understand the new development in the country’s fiscal policy, which is the Programme Budget. The concept – Programme Budget is still a myth to many people. We expect that all the necessary logistics will be put in place for us to have a hitch free financial year in the Southwest Region. In the days ahead, Finance Controllers will be having a series of workshops in Yaoundé to gather information on the Programme Budget and subsequently share it with stakeholders in the Regions and Divisions across the country.
What’s your message to the people of the Southwest Region?
We invite the contractors, who are yet to present their works to do before the close of January 2013. If not, their contracts will be cancelled.
Interviewed By Walter Wilson Nana
