CBN, E-PPAN MOVE TO BREAK CASHLESS IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES FOR MDAS

This is as the CBN in collaboration with the e-Payment providers association of Nigeria, E-PPAN is organising a two day intensive forum to strategise on the best implementation methods of the cashless policy by the Ministries, Directorates and Agencies, MDAs ,of government to implement the new government cashless society being preached by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

The event tagged 'E-payment for Government Summit', is slated to hold at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua centre Abuja. The summit would feature series of workshops which would be facilitated by the Central Bank Officers, Commercial Bank Officers and the top relevant organizations in electronic payment.

The summit would also provide avenue for all public officers to ask relevant questions which feedback, at the end of the day, will be used to shape the new policy further.

The workshops would foray into wide areas of importance in the implementation of the government's cashless scheme, including What role will e-payments play in driving down the cost to serve citizens? How can e-payments complement the country's vision 20:20:20 initiatives? How can senior officials build business cases for new e-payments programmes that best meet the needs of their MDAs'?

Key government officials including the central Bank governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Lagos state governor Babatunde Raji Fashola amongst a host of others are billed to participate at the forum while the MD of Nextzon Business services and the association's President Mr Macaulay Atasie is to give the welcome address.

It could be recalled that the government through the CBN has decided to use e-payment as a driver of a new generation of e-services in public sector in a bid to entrench the cashless society and has set January 2013 target for Nigeria to embrace the cashless economy.

However, the MDAs are currently facing a lot of uncertainties and challenges in implementing the Federal Government policy on electronic payment. The summit would serve to release relevant government officials of the pressure which the new policy seems to be putting on them.

According to the Executive Secretary/CEO of E-PPAN, Mrs Onajite Regha, 'the E-PAYMENT FOR GOVERNMENT SUMMIT aims to promote the cashless Nigeria project and assist in developing and discussing the strategies for the transition of the Nation from cash to cashless in government circles to achieve global competitiveness.

It will provide an exciting platform for industry experts, key government representatives, and professionals from various MDAs at the 3 tiers of government to discuss the latest issues and trends related to electronic payments.

Overall, the forum's objective is to create a framework for developing outstanding e-payment models and formulate winning e-payment strategies, which will enhance government administrative productivity, efficiency and transparency as they transit from Cash to Cashless'.

The programme is structured for knowledge building and skills development, designed to feature special workshop sessions facilitated by industry experts from various commercial Banks and e-payment Service providers.

Regha said that there would also be a dedicated workshop session for the Cashless Nigeria, adding that 'the E-Payment for government Summit is a closed door event, keeping senior officials away from the distractions of their daily routine, and allowing them to engage in open, free flowing conversation with one another, and with the world class solutions providers who have answers to the  issues that matter most to government decision makers'

The summit is open to all top level government executives, decision makers and senior government officials in the Audit dept, Revenue generation and collection departments, Banking Operations/Banking Relationships departments, Cash Management, Risk, Inspection/internal Control, Treasury Officers & Managers and all those who are involved in the implementation of policies of the Agency as well as those involved in the implementation of the electronic payments systems at the Federal, state and Local governments.