By Aminata AP Ceesay
The Accountant General’s Department on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with top microfinance company Approved Services, (APS Wallet), in a major initiative to help the government boost and make revenue collection easy for all government agencies using a digitised platform that will enable the public to reach out to all service centres effectively and efficiently.
Ousman Darboe, Deputy Accountant General commended APS Wallet describing them as the latest institution to partner his office in the rolling out of a payment platform called “GovPay”, designed to spread and make revenue collection easy on behalf of the government around the country.
“APS now joins banks and microfinance companies we have partnered to be able to connect to the payment gateway in order to diversify the way to collect government revenue and the good experience and convenience of the public in paying government fees from the comfort of their homes,” he said.
Accountant General Agnes Macaulay expressed her gratitude for the partnership with APS Wallet describing it as a step in government’s agenda to cover everybody in the digitalisation process.
”This will enable citizens and business owners to secure and conveniently pay government taxes, fees and levies via APS Wallet platform as well as strengthen transparency, reduce cash handling and ensure faster reconciliation of public funds and therefore advancing our shared goal of efficient, accountable public financial management,” she said.
AG Macaulay described the MoU as a commitment to better enhancement of digitalisation and financial management reforms in the country.
Malick S Jallow, APS general manager thanked the Accountant General’s Department for the opportunity it accorded his company to be part of the GovPay project. “This will enable us to provide better services to our citizens and to our customers”, Jallow said.
He assured the public that APS has the expertise, integrity and experience to bring about services that are par with international standards, and urged all to use APS Wallet to pay for any government fees. “We are ready to contribute to national development at any time,” Jallow assured.
