The Niger State Government has said it has started the implementation of the Treasure Single Account (TSA) in order to ensure transparency and accountability in governance.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello made disclosure recently declaring open the 11th Northern Zonal District Accountants Conference of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Minna, Niger State capital.

He stated that the 2016 budget for the state was prepared in compliance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) which is the global accounting standard.

Governor Bello who spoke through his Deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammad Ketso, said his administration is ready to promote IPSAS by providing adequate staff and funds needed to guarantee successful implementation.

He stressed that the state had gone far in becoming IPSAS compliant as evidenced by the 2016 budget,adding that efforts are on to ensure publication of IPSAS compliant financial statements. He said the implementation of TSA was to ensure transparency and accountability in the governance of the state.

He assured the conference of the readiness of the state to promote all the processes of IPSAS compliance, especially in the provision of adequate staffing and funding required in ensuring successful implementation.

The Governor said the theme of the conference “IPSAS Adoption in Nigeria: Implication on Accountability and Probity” came just at the time the country is preparing an appropriate template of fighting corruption.

He then urged participants at the conference to come up with strategies for implementation as well as recommendations to guide the first-time Adopters of the policy, so as to ease the process of transition to the IPSAS, adding that this would bring everyone into the contemporary global trend of improving and reforming public finance.