Luanda - The Secretary of State for Finance and Treasury, Ottoniel dos Santos, highlighted the importance of ongoing training, considering that this can influence public debate and the perception of government policies.
The official was speaking during a seminar on capacity building of economic journalists, having stated that a well-informed press plays a crucial role in monitoring government actions.
In his view, training in public finances helps media professionals to identify and expose irregularities, misappropriation of resources and poor financial management, which can contribute to transparency and accountability of public managers.
“Workshops and other support allow journalists to stay up to date on changes in fiscal policies and economic trends, ensuring that the information conveyed is relevant and accurate,” he said, noting that the “topics” involving public finances are complex and highly technical.
Public finances involve the management of State resources, within a scope that encompasses the management of State assets, supervision of public companies, preparation and implementation of the State Budget and fiscal policies, through tax collection, expenditure execution and debt management.
He stressed that without the proper training, these professionals run the risk of making errors of interpretation or oversimplifications that can distort the reality of the facts.
He recalled that fiscal policy and budget management decisions directly affect the lives of citizens, such as issues related to the allocation of resources for health, education, infrastructure and security.
“This explains the importance we attach to training journalists in matters of public finance, to ensure accurate and balanced coverage of the topic,” he stressed.
Promoted by the Ministry of Finance, in partnership with the Association of Economic Journalists (AJECO), the seminar, in which professionals from various media outlets participate, is scheduled to end on Tuesday (27). HM/VC/TED/DOJ
