McPherson University Trains Deans, Directors and HODs on Strategic Budget Preparation and Financial Management

McPherson University, Seriki Sotayo, Ogun State, has conducted a capacity-building programme for provosts, deans, directors, and heads of departments focused on effective budget preparation and financial management within the university system.

The training, themed “Writing Effective and Defensible Budget Proposals in a University System,” was designed to strengthen participants’ ability to develop realistic, structured, and goal-oriented budget proposals aligned with the institution’s strategic priorities.

Declaring the programme open, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Francis Igbasan, stressed the importance of prudent financial planning in the face of limited institutional resources. He urged participants to fully engage with the training and adhere strictly to established budgeting guidelines to ensure efficient resource allocation and delivery of institutional objectives.

The University Bursar, Mrs Aderonke Adeofun, in her presentation, explained that budget proposals go beyond requests for funding, describing them as strategic documents that reflect departmental vision, performance plans, and justification for resource allocation. She emphasized that clarity, structure, and strong justification are critical to avoiding delays, queries, and budget rejections.

She outlined the objectives of the training as improving understanding of the university budgeting process, enhancing the ability to prepare structured proposals, strengthening justification skills, and building confidence in defending budget submissions. She also provided practical guidance on cost estimation, prioritisation of needs, preparation of budget tables, and avoidance of common budgeting errors.

Further technical sessions were delivered by the Chief Accountant, Mr Ogundairo Samuel, and the Principal Accountant, Mr Adedeji Osunla.

Mr Samuel provided an overview of the two major budget categories—Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and Recurrent Expenditure (OPEX)—with emphasis on recurrent budgeting. He explained that personnel costs such as salaries, allowances, and pensions, alongside overhead costs for daily operations, form the core of recurrent expenditure, stressing the need for realistic projections to ensure financial sustainability.

Mr Osunla focused on capital expenditure and non-current assets, explaining capital budgeting principles and outlining key asset classes such as buildings, equipment, furniture, vehicles, ICT infrastructure, and other long-term investments essential for institutional development.

The programme concluded with an interactive session where participants raised questions on budget defence, expenditure justification, and financial procedures. The engagement reinforced McPherson University’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and efficient resource management in support of teaching, research, and community development.