From 2013 to 2014, FSVC implemented a program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, to strengthen fiscal transparency and accountability by assisting the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) in effectively using the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) to automate its budgeting and accounting systems. IFMIS is an innovative budgetary system that relies on SAP software to enhance transparency and information sharing within and across government institutions.
Responding to the technical assistance requests of the Accountant General under the Ministry of Finance, FSVC assisted key government ministries in effectively using the IFMIS platform and in creating and running reports through the system. Through this program, FSVC provided hands-on, practical training on IFMIS for over 200 staff members from the procurement, human resources, accounting and internal auditing departments within the Zambian Ministries of Agriculture, Education, Finance, Health and Home Affairs.
Program Impact
- Over 200 staff from five GRZ Ministries received practical training on the effective utilization of IFMIS.
- Overall number of IFMIS end-users increased by 45%, from 1,436 in September 2013 to 2,084 in September 2014.
- Each of the five ministries increased its overall number of IFMIS users as well as number of staff with access to SAP’s Business Intelligence (BI) reporting tool.
- Number of reports generated using the BI tool increased
- Easy access to financial data will allow Ministries to more accurately analyze and report fiscal activity to the public, which will in turn ensure that public spending reflects public interests.