Forty-six journalists from five states in North-East Nigeria have been trained at the fifth Media Audit Reporting Training in Gombe State by FrontFoot Media Initiative.
Participants at the training held May 22-23, 2024 are from Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau and Taraba States.
A first-rate cast of facilitators exposed participants to the cross-cutting issues in audit reporting, the problems cover public finance management, budgeting, the nexus with auditing, and the prescriptions of the 1999 constitution on auditing.
They also covered the “audit imperative for Nigerian journalism”, neglect of the local government system, where to find audit reports, and how to write and make audit stories exciting and engaging.
Mr Ismaila Zakari, a past president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, emphasised the significance of proper public finance management and its link to sustaining democracy.
Mallam Zakari urged the media to carefully report on public financial management, particularly at sub-national or state and local government levels, as doing so will enhance good governance and boost Nigeria’s democracy.
He defined public financial management as “the framework, processes, and tools governments use to plan, allocate, manage, and monitor public resources, including revenue, expenditure, assets, and liabilities.
“It encompasses the entire financial management cycle in the public sector, from budget formulation and execution to accounting, reporting, auditing, and legislative scrutiny.”
Zakari led a team of six facilitators including Mr Yusuf Doma, FCA, the Internal Auditor of Premium Pensions, Abuja, Mr Sully Abu, Eluem Emeka Izeze, and Sonala Olumhense, directors of FrontFoot Media Initiative who are veteran journalists.
Abu was Managing Director of The African Guardian magazine and New Age newspaper; Izeze was Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Guardian newspapers. He also served as editor of the Sunday and daily newspaper for many years.
Sonala Olumhense, the columnist with the fiery pen, was editor of ThisWeek Magazine.
