Nasarawa Assembly Trains Lawmakers, Staff on IPSAS To Boost Transparency, Accountability in Public Finance

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By Suleiman Abubakar Rimi Uku Lafia 

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has commenced a three-day training workshop for its lawmakers, management staff, and committee secretaries on the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and credibility in public finance reporting and budget processes.

The workshop, holding in Makurdi, Benue State, is a collaboration between the Nasarawa State House of Assembly and Fawu Converse Resources.

Declaring the training open, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Dr. Danladi Jatau—represented by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Adamu Oyanki—commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for approving the workshop, describing it as a timely intervention that will enhance good governance.

“First and foremost, I want to commend His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Sule, for approving this workshop, which will ensure transparency and accountability in governance and strengthen effectiveness in budgeting,” he said.

The Speaker emphasized that the adoption of IPSAS would improve financial reporting, boost trust in governance, and enhance the Assembly’s diligence during deliberations on the 2026 budget.

“The primary objective of IPSAS is to enhance the quality of financial reporting in the public sector. At the end of this training, participants will be equipped with knowledge that will aid the 2026 budgeting process to meet global standards,” he added, while urging citizens to continue supporting the governor’s administration.

Majority Leader Hon. Suleiman Yakubu Azara and Minority Leader Hon. Luka Iliya Zhekaba both lauded the initiative, expressing confidence that the training would significantly enrich the Assembly’s budgeting and oversight functions.

Resource persons at the workshop underscored the relevance of IPSAS to modern public financial management.

Dr. Ibrahim Abdullateef of the Department of Accounting, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, delivered a paper on “IPSAS Adoption and Legislative Oversight in Nigeria,” highlighting its role in enhancing transparency, fiscal discipline, and global comparability of financial statements.

He stressed that IPSAS strengthens legislative oversight by improving the quality of financial reports relied upon for scrutiny of public expenditure.

Also speaking, Dr. Mohammed Okpoku of the same university explained how IPSAS enhances budget credibility, performance reporting, and outcome-based accountability. He noted