By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
Church finance officers have been urged to embrace greater accountability, transparency and sound financial management in the administration of church resources.
The Bishop of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria (UMCN), Cameron and Senegal Episcopal Area, Bishop Ande Emmanuel, made the call while welcoming finance officers from across the Episcopal Area to a five-day bookkeeping and accounting training workshop aimed at strengthening their financial management capacity and improving accountability within the church.
He described the workshop as an important opportunity to equip church officers with the knowledge and practical skills required to discharge their financial responsibilities effectively.
He noted that the church had recently conducted an audit covering the two years of his administration, stressing the need to strengthen financial accountability and improve existing practices in the management of church funds.
He said the training was designed to promote transparency, enhance financial reporting and ensure the effective administration of the church’s financial resources.
Bishop Emmanuel encouraged participants to take an active part in the sessions by asking questions and seeking clarification on issues they did not understand.
He expressed confidence in the facilitators, saying their expertise and experience would provide participants with valuable insights and practical guidance on bookkeeping and accounting principles.
The bishop also challenged the finance officers to approach the workshop with open minds and a willingness to learn, improve and apply the knowledge gained in their respective areas of service.
He stated that the success of the training would depend largely on the participants’ commitment to translating the lessons into practical measures that would strengthen the church’s financial systems.
He disclosed that responsible financial management was essential to the growth and sustainability of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria, adding that improved accounting practices and accountability would help build trust and ensure that church resources were managed in line with established financial procedures.
Bishop Emmanuel expressed optimism that the workshop would achieve its objectives of improving financial management and promoting responsible stewardship across the Episcopal Area.
Our correspondent observed that the workshop brought together finance officers from across the Episcopal Area to strengthen their bookkeeping and accounting skills and support the effective administration of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria.