LAHORE, Sept 4: The National Accountability Bureau, Punjab, on Tuesday organised a workshop on public accounts management for officers of provincial and federal government departments at Al-hamra.

Over 200 project directors, account managers, drawing and disbursing officials participated in the workshop. NAB Director-General (Awareness & Prevention) Brig Musaddaq Abbasi (retired) was the chief guest.

The objective of the workshop was to sensitise the officials to public accounts management, identification of procedural lapses and formulate proposals for improving the existing accounts management system to avoid irregularities and corrupt practices.

Abbasi asked the participants to opt for neat, clean and contended lifestyle that may be helpful to establish high moral standards and corruption-free society.

Former Punjab accountant general Jameel Ahmed Bhatti delivered a speech on “Responsibilities of DDOs - Good Governance and Accountability”. He stressed documentation and compliance of rules and other codal formalities like maintaining of cash book, reconciliation of accounts to save the dealing officers from audit objections as well as departmental or criminal proceedings subsequently.

Fareed Ahmed Tarrar, Punjab additional secretary (finance), gave a presentation on general financial rules and apprised the participants that irregularities in handling public exchequer could be averted by strict adherence to financial rules.

He also emphasised proper planning, transparency and compliance of PPRA Rules while making public procurements.