Subject: PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTING & FINANCE (PSAF)

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  • 4 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2024 – L2 – Q5c – Functions of the State Interests and Governance Authority

Explains four functions of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) in overseeing state entities.

The Nine Hundred and Ninetieth Act of the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana entitled the State Interests and Governance Authority Act, 2019 was established to oversee and administer state interests in state-owned enterprises, joint venture companies, and other state entities and to provide for related matters.

Required:

Explain FOUR functions of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA).

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  • 6 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2024 – L2 – Q5b – Nolan’s Principles of Public Life

Explains four of Nolan’s Seven Principles of Public Life, which guide ethical behavior in public office.

 Nolan’s Seven Principles of Public Life serve as guidelines for ethical behavior in public service. They are not typically enforceable through direct legal actions; instead, they often operate as moral and professional standards shaping the behavior of individuals in public office.

Required:

Explain FOUR of these principles.

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  • 4 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2024 – L2 – Q5a – Public Financial Management Regulations

Explains the provisions in PFM Regulation 2019 for a Principal Spending Officer in the payment process and differentiates between misapplication and misappropriation of funds.

a) The Public Financial Management Regulation makes the Principal Spending Officer (PSO) personally responsible for all payments of the covered entity. To mitigate possible risk exposure of the PSO during the payment process, the regulations provide guidance to assist approving authorities before signing off any payment.

In recent times, the Auditor-General has faulted PSOs for infractions such as misapplication of funds, misappropriation of funds, and partially accounted payments among others. Similar observations were cited in the 2023 Management Letter of Nipa Ye Municipal Assembly.

Required:

i) With reference to the PFM Regulation 2019, LI 2378, explain the provisions available to the PSO in the payment process before approval.

ii) Distinguish between misapplication of funds and misappropriation of funds as used by the Auditor-General with an example each.

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  • 3 Marks

PSA – Nov 2024 – L2 – Q4c – Events After the Reporting Date

Explanation of events occurring after the reporting date and their impact on financial statements.

Explain THREE limitations of ratio analysis

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  • 9 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2024 – L2 – Q4b – Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability

Explanation of the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability framework and its application.

Based on your results in (a), write a report to the newly appointed board analyzing and indicating whether their performance is better in comparison with the old board.

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  • 8 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2024 – L2 – Q4a – Financial Ratio Analysis

Compute financial ratios for Ghana Wind Farms LTD to analyze performance trends.

Ghana Wind Farms LTD, a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE), has appointed a new Board of Directors in January 2023. The new Board, after settling for a year, is interested in assessing their performance for the year 2023 against the performance of the previous Board in the year 2022 through ratio analysis. Below is the financial statement of Ghana Wind Farms LTD for the two years.

Ghana Wind Farms LTD

Statement of Profit or Loss for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

2023 (GH¢) 2022 (GH¢)
Revenue 9,860,000 6,218,000
Direct Cost (5,905,000) (5,822,000)
Gross Profit 3,955,000 396,000
Distribution Costs (297,000) (264,000)
Administrative Expenses (505,000) (455,000)
Other Income 236,000 13,000
Other Gains – 1,482,000
Operating Profit 3,389,000 1,172,000
Finance Cost (1,000,000) (334,000)
Profit Before Tax Expense 2,389,000 838,000
Tax Expense (500,000) (144,000)
Profit After Tax 1,889,000 694,000

Ghana Wind Farms LTD

Statement of Financial Position as at 31 December 2023

2023 (GH¢) 2022 (GH¢)
ASSETS
Non-Current Assets
Property, Plant & Equipment 17,000,000 15,000,000
Investment 5,000 2,000
Advances & Loans – 30,000
Total Non-Current Assets 17,005,000 15,032,000
Current Assets
Inventories 687,000 546,000
Trade and Other Receivables 2,829,000 1,978,000
Prepayments 87,000 42,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents 383,000 434,000
Total Current Assets 3,986,000 3,000,000
TOTAL ASSETS 20,991,000 18,032,000
EQUITY & LIABILITIES
Equity
Government Equity 8,000 8,000
Other Government Equity 613,000 306,000
Capital Surplus 8,471,000 7,599,000
Income Surplus (1,434,000) 478,000
Total Equity 7,970,000 8,697,000
Non-Current Liabilities
Deferred Credit 6,692,000 670,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities 2,498,000 2,572,000
Borrowings (Due After One Year) 1,297,000 950,000
Total Non-Current Liabilities 10,487,000 4,192,000
Current Liabilities
Bank Overdraft 166,000 180,000
Provision for Company Tax 109,000 109,000
Trade and Other Payables 1,820,000 4,516,000
Borrowings (Due Within One Year) 439,000 338,000
Total Current Liabilities 2,534,000 5,143,000
Total Liabilities 13,021,000 9,335,000
TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES 20,991,000 18,032,000

Required:

a) Compute the following ratios:

i) Current Ratio
ii) Quick Ratio
iii) Inventory Turnover (Days)
iv) Trade Receivable Collection Period (Days)
v) Trade Payables Period (Days)
vi) Working Capital Cycle
vii) Interest Cover Ratio
viii) Total Debt – Total Asset Ratio

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  • 10 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2024 – L2 – Q3b – Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Assessment

Evaluate the financial performance of a local government based on PEFA assessment results and recommend strategies for improvement.

 Accounting and reporting constitute a key pillar of an organised and transparent public financial management system in the public sector. The effectiveness of accounting and reporting reflects the integrity of financial data, the accuracy of in-year budget reports, and the quality of annual financial statements. In a recent Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) assessment, a local government had the following results:

  • Annual financial reporting: D
  • In-year budget report: D+
  • Financial data integrity: C

Required:
i) Explain the assessment performance to the Municipal Chief Executive of the local government.
ii) Recommend two strategies for improving the performance of the local government in each of the assessed areas.

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  • 10 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2024 – L2 – Q3a – Public Financial Management Cycle

Explaining objectives and improvements in public financial management systems.

As part of efforts to improve public financial management, the government has engaged experts to evaluate the entire public financial management cycle. The review report indicates that every component of the cycle is malfunctioning and emphasizes the need for a stronger commitment to building a robust system to achieve the desired outcomes.

Required:

i) Explain THREE key objectives of an orderly and open public financial management system.

ii) Recommend TWO ways of enhancing each stage of the public financial management cycle towards the attainment of desired outcomes.

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  • 10 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2024 – L2 – Q2b – Related Party Transactions and Disclosures

Explains related party transactions and their implications under IPSAS 20.

You are the Director of Finance at the Ghana Water Development Authority, an entity under the Ministry of Forestry and Water. The Authority has a five-member Board chaired by the daughter of the Sector Minister. The Chief Executive Officer of the Authority has just been appointed by Government for an initial term of four years.

The Chairperson of the board runs boutique services. The Authority buys a lot of presents from this boutique whenever they are confronted with the need to give out presents to any high-profile person. The Chairperson has made a request to the Authority to finance her boutique services with an amount of GH¢546,000 to enable her business to pay some urgent bills. No terms or conditions were provided in the request. Such an assistance from a financial institution would attract the current prevailing bank interest on loans at a rate of 35% per annum. Recently, another member of the Board contracted a loan from the Bank for her child’s university entrance fees at that rate.

Management of the Authority indicated that the amount was not significant to the Authority and has been approved by the Head of the entity and the Chief Director. The approved document has been handed over to you for payment. Considering the PFM Laws and IPSAS, you engaged the Chief Director about the request, but you were directed to go ahead and pay and use the appropriate accounting treatment in such circumstances. You accordingly raised the necessary documentation and effected the payment.

Required:

In relation to IPSAS 20: Related Party Disclosures:

i) Explain the implications of this transaction on the Authority and state how you would account for this transaction in the financial statements of the entity.

ii) State SIX situations where related party transactions may lead to disclosures by a reporting entity.

iii) Explain TWO reasons for disclosing related party transactions/relations.

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  • 7 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2024 – L2 – Q2a – Valuation of Legacy Fixed Assets

Valuation and accounting treatment of legacy fixed assets in compliance with IPSAS.

The Ministry of Indigenous Enterprises has been charged to collect legacy fixed assets data and value them in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). The Fixed Assets Coordinating Unit (FACU) of the Ministry has collected for valuation the following data for your action:

The Ministry owns a four (4) storey Office Administration block. The average cost per floor is GH¢4,741,256.25. The building was constructed on a land size of 20 plots of land owned by the Ministry. Currently, a plot of land in that area costs GH¢2,500,000. The FACU has measured the sizes of the building as follows:

  • Length: 87.5 meters
  • Width: 42.65 meters
  • Reference Price per Square Meter: GH¢4,432

However, a professional body, the Institute of Architects and Engineers, has given the reference price for the cost of such an office building at an estimated price of GH¢87,965,025. The building has not seen any further facelift ever since. However, a fence wall with a gate to enforce security and secure the land has just been completed in the current year at a cost of GH¢8,970,000 with a lifespan of 50 years.

The year of construction of the office building could not be determined, yet an old watchman who had been there for ages remembers that the building was constructed some 42 years ago, a time when his seventh child was born. It is the decision of the Government of Ghana on the adoption of IPSAS not to take advantage of the three-year exemption period but to account for legacy fixed assets by taking 60% of the reference cost of the legacy assets as the deemed cost, with a reduced lifespan of 30 years.

Required:

i) Calculate the cost of the land and buildings with structures to be brought into the books on the adoption of IPSAS and determine the depreciation chargeable in the first year in respect of these assets.                                                                                              ii) Show the extract of Statement of Financial Position of the Ministry of Indigenous
Enterprises as at that date

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  • 10 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2020 – L2 – Q4a – The Budgeting Process in the Public Sector

Prepare a monthly cash budget for the fishpond from January to March 2020, considering expected sales, purchases, and allocation.

The Chairman of Okoko Local Government set up pond farming to fulfill a campaign promise. However, the Chairman is concerned about the project’s viability and its ability to finance itself due to increasing production costs. The expected cash-in-hand as of January 1, 2020, is N3,300,000.

The following information concerns the budgeted sales and purchases of the fish farm.

Month Sales (N’000) Purchases (N’000)
November 2019 55,000 35,000
December 2019 100,000 55,000
January 2020 114,000 75,000
February 2020 142,000 95,000
March 2020 145,000 80,000

Analysis of records shows that debtors settle according to the following pattern:

  • 70% within the month of sale
  • 30% in the following month

All purchases are on credit. Past experience shows that 80% of the purchase costs are settled in the month of the transaction, and the balance is settled in the subsequent month. Overhead costs amounting to 65% of the purchases of the month are to be paid monthly. Additionally, the Local Government will receive a monthly allocation of N15,000,000.

Required:

Prepare for the Chairman of Okoko Local Government a monthly cash budget for the fish pond for the first quarter (January to March) of 2020. (10 Marks)

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  • 10 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2020 – L2 – Q3b – Public Sector Audit

Discuss five domestic borrowing instruments used by the government to raise capital.

There are various instruments that can be employed for the purpose of raising capital within the domestic economy by government.

Required:
Discuss five of these instruments.

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  • 10 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2020 – L2 – Q3a – The Budgeting Process in the Public Sector

Explain the factors militating against the budgeting system in the public sector.

The budgeting process is a cycle of events which occur sequentially every
year and which results in the approved budgets in ministries and extra ministerial departments.

Required:
Explain five factors militating against the budgeting system in the public sector.

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  • 10 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2020 – L2 – Q2b – Government Expenditure

Identify and explain reasons for the steady rise in public expenditure in Nigeria.

Globally, there has been a steady increase in the level of government expenditure in different areas of activities. In Nigeria, there is a steady growth of expenditure over the years which requires explanation.

Required:
Identify and explain five reasons for the rise in public expenditure in Nigeria.
(10 Marks)

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  • 10 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2020 – L2 – Q2a – Public Sector Audit

Discuss the external auditors' reliance on internal audit functions and reasons for rising public expenditure.

An internal audit is an independent appraisal activity within an organisation for the review of accounting, financial, and other operations with the objective of assisting members of the organisation to discharge their responsibilities effectively. It is a sound policy to establish constructive working relationships with internal audit units to foster the development, promote coordinated coverage, and avoid duplication.

Required:
Explain the five criteria employed by the external auditors to assess the likely effectiveness and relevance of the internal audit functions and five areas where the internal audit functions can be of assistance to the external audit.

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  • 40 Marks

PSAF – Nov 2020 – L2 – Q1 – International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)

Discuss IPSAS transition exemptions and prepare financial statements for Oranta State Government using IPSAS accrual.

IPSAS 33, gives a transition relief (exemption) of up to three years within which to develop models for transiting to IPSAS accrual. However, the government of Nigeria adopted accrual IPSAS on revenue from exchange transactions effective January 1, 2016.

Oranta State Government mandated the Accountant-General of the State to implement the IPSAS accrual in the preparation of their financial statements with effect from January 2018 which was complied with accordingly.

For the smooth implementation of IPSAS accrual, the State Executive Council approved the following:

(i) Asset valuation committee to be chaired by the Deputy Governor with the Commissioner of Finance, Commissioner of Budget and Planning, Chairman State Internal Revenue Service, Accountant-General of the State, and Head of Service as members while a Director in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government was appointed as the Secretary.
(ii) The Committee was mandated to value all the State assets and liabilities on or before the implementation of IPSAS accrual.
(iii) The Committee was allowed to engage the services of competent valuers for the job.
(iv) The valuation of the assets and liabilities should be on a continuous basis and any value agreed and approved by the State Executive Council should be brought into the books in the year of valuation.
(v) All assets and liabilities incurred after implementation of IPSAS accrual should be recognized in the year they occurred.

The consolidated trial balance for the year ended December 31, 2017, based on IPSAS cash is as follows:

Extracted consolidated cashbook for the year 2018:

The following information is relevant:
(i) The employees‟ salaries and wages bill for the month of December 2018
amounting to N6.5billion was outstanding at the end of the year.
(ii) The following information was extracted from the unit in charge of
accounting for property, plant and equipment (PPE): 100 sets of HP
computers were received from Koko Computers Limited to assist the State
government to eradicate ghost workers from the payroll- the HP series
P1120, 2016 model. Based on this information, a call was made to three of
their computer suppliers to find out the current price of the HP P1120. Two of
the suppliers quoted N450,000 each, while one quoted N500,500 each.
Based on this information, the fair value of the computers, were taken as
N500,000 each.
(iii) The government during the year received an asset valuation report from the
Asset Valuation Committee that was set up to carry out the valuation of the
old assets and liabilities of the State.
(iv) The following values were recommended and approved by the State
Executive Council respectively:

(v) Pension and gratuity of N15 billion was outstanding at the end of the year
(vi) Some of the accounting policies adopted by the government for depreciation
include the following rates;

(vii) During the year, one of the contractors took the State to court for breach of
contract. The case was still in court as at the end of the year and from all
indications, judgment will eventually be in his favour. The legal adviser
estimated the judgment debt to be N50million.
(viii) Value of office consumables based on inventory sheet as at December 31,
2018 was N550million.
(ix) The following expenses were incurred but not settled as at end of the year.

(x) An extract from the foreign loan amortisation schedule indicates that a total
sum of N32billion comprising principal and interest of N2billion was due
and paid during the year. Also domestic loan of N13billion comprising
principal and interest of N1billion was paid during the year. The interest
payable on domestic and external loans at the end of the year amounted to
N3billion and N5 billion respectively.
(xi) The investment of 10% treasury bills for 360 days was due to mature on
January 1, 2018 and reinvested immediately for another term.
(xii) The revolving loan attracts interest of 4% per annum and it is paid along
with the principal.
Required:
a. In line with the provisions of IPSAS 33, explain how the following revenue
from exchange transactions should be recognised:
i. Aid and grants receivable as at December 31, 2015 (2 Marks)

ii. Debt forgiveness approved on or after January 1, 2016 (2 Marks)
iii. Personal income tax on or after January 1, 2016 (2 Marks)
b. Prepare in vertical form:
i. Statement of financial performance for the year December 31, 2018.
(17 Marks)
ii. Statement of financial position for the year December 31, 2018.
(17 Marks)
(Total 40 Marks)

 

 

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  • 10 Marks

PSAF – May 2018 – L2 – Q7 – Ethics and Integrity in Public Sector Financial Management

Explains conditions enhancing accountability in the public sector and principles guiding fiscal transparency.

One major role of government (Federal, State, or Local) is to ensure probity and accountability in all its functions.

Required:

a. Explain FOUR conditions that could enhance the promotion of accountability in the public sector. (5 Marks)

b. Identify and explain FOUR principles guiding the code of good practices on fiscal transparency. (10 Marks)

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  • 15 Marks

PSAF – May 2018 – L2 – Q6 – Fiscal Policy and Public Finance

Defines public debt and identifies factors contributing to the accumulation of public debt in developing countries.

“The consequences arising from the continual accumulation of public debts in developing countries may discourage growth in such economies.”

Required:

a. Explain the term “public debt.” (5 Marks)

b. Write brief notes on FOUR factors responsible for the accumulation of public debt in developing countries. (10 Marks)

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  • 15 Marks

PSAF – May 2018 – L2 – Q5 – The Budgeting Process in the Public Sector

Explains the concept of a national budget, surplus and deficit budget implications, and challenges in the implementation of national budgets in Nigeria.

In government’s quest to optimally develop and efficiently manage available resources, national budgets are usually prepared to put economic development firmly on course.

Required:

a. Describe briefly a national budget. (3 Marks)

b. Explain briefly the implication of each of the following for the performance of the economy: i. A surplus budget ii. A deficit budget (4 Marks)

c. Explain FOUR problems to be encountered in the effective implementation of national budgets in Nigeria. (8 Marks)

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  • 20 Marks

PSAF – May 2018 – L2 – Q4 – Public Sector Audit

Explain the concept of Value-for-Money audit, its components, steps, and factors contributing to an effective VFM audit.

In relation to public sector audit:

a. Define ‘Value-for-Money’ (VFM) audit. (2½ Marks)

b. Identify and explain THREE major components of ‘Value-for-Money’ audit. (6 Marks)

c. Explain FIVE steps towards a successful ‘Value-for-Money’ audit. (2½ Marks)

d. Identify FIVE factors which contribute to an effective ‘Value-for-Money’ audit. (5 Marks)

e. Explain the precise roles of the internal audit unit in relation to ‘Value-for-Money’ audit of a Government Business Entity (GBE). (4 Marks)

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