Article: Workshop on capacity building in responsible stewardship of public funds
The Innovation and Mentality Change Unit of the Presidency of the Republic, in collaboration with the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) and the Agency for the Prevention and Fight against Corruption (APLC), organized a two days on building the capacity of officers of public establishments and companies in the Portfolio on the responsible management of public funds. This workshop, which was held from August 16 to 17, 2023, had the theme “Let’s change our mentalities for a new Congo”.
During this workshop, the deputy head of the IGF, Victor Batubenga, highlighted the importance of the contribution of companies and public establishments to the country’s budget. He highlighted the significant drop in this contribution, from 36% in 1984 to just 0.24% in 2021. He called on current trustees to reframe their budgets and strictly observe good financial management practices in order to reverse this tendency.
Victor Batubenga also insisted on the importance of prevention in the management of public funds, recalling the proverb “prevention is better than cure”. He underlined that the supervision of public establishments and enterprises by the IGF aims to promote good governance, in particular by taxing the suppliers and service providers of the State.
The coordinator of the structure responsible for changing mentalities called on companies and public establishments to have a positive impact on the financial management of the country. He recalled the importance of their contribution to the State budget and their role in the development of the country.
Thierry Mbulamoko, coordinator of the APLC, underlined the consequences of poor public management practices, which deprive the State of its means of action and fuel corruption. He welcomed this workshop as an opportunity to openly discuss the problems that undermine Congolese society and find solutions to preserve the public treasury.
This workshop on capacity building for responsible management of public funds was an opportunity for officers of public institutions and companies in the Portfolio to raise awareness of the challenges of sound financial management. By changing their mentalities and adopting a responsible approach, they will be able to actively contribute to the development of the country and the fight against corruption