The Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Calls for greater efficiency in government, underscored the need for enhanced productivity within the governance system and emphasized the Ministry’s role in expediting processes while eliminating unnecessary delays.
Speaking at a turnover event Monday, Minister Ngafuan outlined a commitment to improving operational efficiency at the Ministry, stressing that processes related to allotment and expenditure need significant reform.
“It may appear ambitious but the goal is that things must move without being push. Things must move without being push. It is a loaded commit, it should push itself. Do your part,” Ngafuan stated.
A Finance Ministry release says the newly inducted minister of Finance acknowledged the ambitious nature of these goals but remained steadfast in his belief that processes should be self-sustaining and require minimal external pressure.
“It is an assembly line if there is an issue, you raise it transparently we review it but things must move without being push,” he added.
Minister Ngafuan also highlighted the broader vision of national development and the role of government in fulfilling the aspirations of Liberians.
“The will of God is for Liberia to develop and for Liberians to have hope for a better future. My gratitude goes to President Joseph Nyumah Boakai for entrusting me with this critical role. The responsibility to deliver on promises rests with the President and Vice President Hon. Jeremiah Kpan Koung, and as appointees, we are committed to meeting these expectations,” he said.
The Minister emphasized his focus on the ambitions of ordinary Liberians, noting that these ambitions drive the work of the Ministry.
“Every citizen, whether in Toe Town or elsewhere, has aspirations for the future. It is our duty in the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning to be the instruments that help realize these dreams,” he explained.
Minister Ngafuan further outlined his vision for fostering a performance-driven culture within the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning, stating that he will work with the Deputy Minister for Administration and others to create a performance culture where employees do not worry too much during political transitions.
He stressed the importance of integrity alongside competence and qualifications in government roles. “In the Ministry of Finance we are going to be looking at qualification, competence and integrity in our hiring of staff. But competence and qualification alone are not sufficient to do the job. What is critical in all of this is integrity.
The reason this is so important is if you are qualified and competent and you don’t have integrity, you are a danger to the state. We do not want dangers to the state,” Hon. Ngafuan emphasized.
The release finally quoted the Minister as reflecting on his approach to collaboration with international partners and stakeholders. “We must act with deliberate speed to achieve results.
The time spent in developing concepts and executing tasks must not detract from the immediate needs of those who are affected,” he concluded.
Earlier, the Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs, Anthony Myers, welcomed Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, terming the appointment of the Minister by the President as a “homecoming”.
Deputy Minister Myers, who acted as Minister after the resignation of Hon. Boima S. Kamara named some of the gains as the removal of the recent specter of public sector workers – both officials and civil servants – going for months without pay, people are longer getting SMS alerts and running to the banks to be told there is nothing in their accounts.
This is so because, Myers said, “we have adopted the policy of securing salaries and compensation three months in advance.”
He narrated that in seven months, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has taken steps towards restoring the confidence of the sections of the private sector who provide services to government by improving the certainty of payment.
On the internal administration front, Deputy Minister Myers was clear that strides have been made to create conducive workspace for the staff and senior managers. “The bathrooms have water in them again.
Medical insurance has been re-introduced. Petty cash for micro procurement has been restored. Allowances for airtime, data and petroleum are now been distributed to facilitate the operations departments and units. Procurement processes for the acquisition of four staff busses and two new elevators are in the advance stage”, he said in his briefings to the new minister.
The turning over ceremony was graced by the Development Partners and Senior officials of government.
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