TITLE:
Determinants of Effective Public Finance Management in the Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development, Malawi
AUTHORS:
George Ng’ambi, Mavuto Tembo, Shaibu Benard, Vera Kamtukule
KEYWORDS:
Public Finance Management, Government, Controlling Officers, Livestock Sector, Common Problems, Malawi
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Accounting,
Vol.12 No.4,
October
23,
2023
ABSTRACT: Every public sector in Malawi is subject to the Public Finance Management
Framework. Livestock farming not only provides food security and nutrition but also offers income-generating opportunities for
rural communities. However, the successful implementation of livestock
development policies and programs heavily relies on how resources are
allocated, economic dynamics, and public
finance management. This paper identifies factors that significantly predict
public financial management and financial problems in the Department of
Animal Health and Livestock Development, Malawi. The research design was
cross-sectional descriptive and exploratory research with a sample size of 107
respondents. Cronbach’s alpha technique was used to test the reliability of the
instrument. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential
statistics (Chi-Square test and regression) in SPSS version 20. The significant
determinant factors of public finance management were budget, controlling
officers, and use of IFMIS in the Department of Animal Health and Livestock
Development. The significant problems associated with public finance management
in the Department were funds misallocation, mismanagement of funds, corruption,
weak policy framework, weak institutional capacity, limited finance allocation,
and inadequate infrastructure. The paper recommends that more attention be paid
to the budgeting process, controlling officers, and IFMIS to improve the
effectiveness of public finance management.