Stakeholders have committed to strengthening management of financial resources of projects funded by the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD).

About 130 stakeholders in a commitment through a communiqué issued in Abuja at the official closing ceremony of Regional Training Workshop on Financial Management for IFAD-Funded Projects in Anglophone West and Central Africa.

IFAD in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Federal Ministry of Finance, organised a Regional Training Workshop for IFAD-funded projects to support the effective implementation of major financial management and fiduciary reforms for the projects.

The reforms are aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of projects for greater impact on the livelihood of small-scale farmers, women, young people and other vulnerable groups living in rural areas.

The primary aim of the workshop was to strengthen the capacity of stakeholders with a view to improving the quality of financial management of IFAD-financed projects and programmes.

In attendance at the three-day capacity building training workshop, include, IFAD projects Coordinators, Finance Managers, Accountants, Internal and external Auditors from Supreme Audit Institutions, as well as Ministries experts from Anglophone West and Central Africa  including Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

The Regional Director of IFAD West and Central Africa (WCA), Mr Bernard Hien, represented by Mr. Ahmed Tarek, commended the Federal Government for hosting the international workshop and also congratulated ministries experts, government auditors, projects coordinators and staff for their successful completion of the training.

He called on them to use the knowledge acquired for increased development impact and results in support of the food system transformation agenda.

IFAD WCA Senior Regional Financial Management Department Officer, Mr Radu Damianov, further commended the active participation of all stakeholders, which was critical for achieving the objectives of the workshop.

He assured that the financial management department in partnership with Regional and Country offices will continue to provide technical advice to participants to accelerate the implementation of the financial reforms.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, represented by Mr Bukar Musa, Director Projects Coordinating Unit, urged all participants to continue collaboration and networking within and across West and Central Africa countries for continued exchange of knowledge and best practices and solicited the support of IFAD to pursue the South -south cooperation in financial management.