The fight against corruption and the effective management of public finances are crucial issues in many countries. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a recent initiative was launched to raise awareness and train public officers of Portfolio companies and public establishments on these issues.
For two days, the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF), the Agency for the Prevention and Fight against Corruption (APLC) as well as the Innovation and Change of Mentalities Unit organized a seminar in order to equip the agents on changing mentalities in the management of public finances.
The objective of this training was to put in place fundamental principles of public finance management in order to fight against corruption. The participants were made aware of the importance of strategic and operational planning based on results, a sense of responsibility, patriotism and respect for the code of conduct and ethics of public officials.
A key point of this initiative is the creation of ethics committees in each public institution and company in the Portfolio. These committees will serve as a thermometer to deal with questions relating to ethics, morality and corruption. They will play an essential role in the fight against harmful practices and the optimization of the productivity of public establishments.
Another recommended measure is the practice of an audit before new officers take up their duties. This will allow managers to better understand the real situation of the company and to put in place corrective actions if necessary. This practice has already proven successful in some cases and could be generalized, while remaining adapted to the specific needs of each company.
At the end of these two days of training, the Inspector General of Finance expressed his satisfaction with the initiative of the Innovation and Mentality Change Unit to organize this seminar. He underlined the importance of the commitment of each participant in the fight against corruption and the embezzlement of public funds, and encouraged the representatives to contribute actively to the economic recovery of the country.
This initiative bears witness to the will of the Congolese authorities to promote transparency and integrity in the management of public finances. By training and raising awareness among public officials, they hope to establish a new generation of economic actors who will contribute to the development and prosperity of the country