THE ROLE OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION ON RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
(A CASE STUDY OF MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, ASABA)
ABSTRACT
The use of accounting information in view of the nature of organization environment cannot be overemphasized; managers in any organization need information to enable then run the establishment to achieve their set goals and objectives in one way of the other. Accounting information is one of the major means to achieve these objectives. In order to achieve this aims of study, Ministry of Education was selected to serve as a case study, organization for the purpose of data analysis. The study started by explaining the nature of accounting information, in line with resources management. This is done in the background of the study, subhead of chapter one, among others highlighting literature or review chapter two titles in this chapter, ministry of Education history was look into beneficial and its function. Various definition of accounting was given also the chapter ends with the role of the accountant and responsibility of accounting. Chapter three reviews the methodology of the study, the procedure and methods of analyzing data were specified and this included the calculation and table of percentage from respondents’ response and the chi-square method of hypothesis testing the data and information gathering testing were also indicated. The data presentation, analysis and interpretational data analysis was carried out and the hypothesis were tested. Based on finding of the study, the researcher made some recommendations in chapter five, which in his opinion would to a large extent be useful to any person who may have one form of contract or the other with this project.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE - Introduction
1.1    Background of the Study                
1.2    Statement of the Study                    
1.3    Objective of the Study                        
1.4    Significance of the Study                        
1.5    Scope of the Study                    
1.6    Limitation of the Study                        
1.7    Definition of Terms                    
CHAPTER TWO
History of Ministry of Education, Asaba             
Functions of Ministry of Education                
Definition of Accounting                    
Objectives of Accounting                    
The Role of Accounting                        
Accounting Concepts and Conventions            
The Functions of Accounting Information            
Responsibility of Accounting                    
A Responsibility Centre                        
Organization Structure and Reporting                
The Role of the Accounting                        
CHAPTER THREE – Research Methodology
Research Design                        
Population of the Study                        
Sample Size                            
Sampling Techniques                        
Validity of the Instrument                    
Reliability of the Instrument                    
Sources of Data Collection                 
Method of Data Analysis                        
CHAPTER FOUR – Data Presentation and Analysis
4.1    Introduction                                
4.2    Data Presentation and Analysis                
4.3    Testing of Hypothesis                        
4.4    Interpretation                            
4.5    Conclusion                            
CHAPTER FIVE – Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
5.1    Summary                         
5.2    Conclusion                        
5.3    Recommendations                        
    References                            
    Appendix                            
    Questionnaires                    
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1    Background of the Study
Accounting is grouped under the management science; it fully deals with issues of financial bookkeeping and records for the purpose of planning.
Accounting as a discipline is important to most individuals and group who are interested in it products because of its utility and economic impact, it has various users practice as a vent able factors entity or going concern. In every organization, whether profit oriented or not profit oriented organization, need the knowledge of accounting principle. It is essential for business people and quite useful information about an organization to people who need such information.
In fact many reports on business events and economic condition are difficult to understand for these with no knowledge of accounting, and for people who do not understand accounting language.
As a matter of fact, the success and continues service of a firm depend on the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of its management, these is no substitute for the proper management of recourses management function of planning, organizing, directing, leading and controlling play a prominent role in resources management organisation or ministry in the present economic to content with a lot of economic variable.
Furthermore, the competitive nature of the business environment and would overall, calls for the judicious use of resources by any business entity and especially managers in whose hand resources are entrusted for use on behalf of some other persons. Therefore, there is the need for a means of determining the entities manager’s operation performance and this record give rise to the concept of accounting information.
Adma (2000:210) views accounting as a set of theories concept or ideals and techniques by which financial information reporting, planning, controlling, classifying, reporting and interpreting the financial data of an organisation or ministry of management and other interested users.
Information is the life of any organisation, it is the general meaning that is assigned to data means of the conversion used in their representation.
This information also provide the yardsticks for measuring the performance of a business organisation arid also the instrument, which the management uses to compared actual results, with established standard.
These information provided in financial statement are quantitative or resources management. Therefore, financial statement is to be clearly understood by all the users.
According to statement of accounting standard No. 2 by the Nigeria Accounting Standard Board, accounting information refers to the data that are found in financial statement provide a continuing history quantified in monetary terms of economic resources and obligation of an organisation and economic activities that changes these resources and obligation
And there is need for Ministry of Education to get the right performance needed to make the right decision regarding the management of resources to produce good education for students, this will therefore give room for Ministry of Education in the state (nation) to maximum revenue or fund given to them by the government to produce infrastructure, good library, teaching as needed in school, for school in the state to produce the right kind of student needed by the state as the kind of graduate, and this can stand the test of time, knowing that education promote the economic standard ant state.
1.2     Statement of the Study
Due to the state of our economy, and given the vigorous government policies and the environment in which the existing schools (education) operates ministry of education has to plan and control its resources property and also at to choose from alternative course of action which would be conductive for education in order to face the challenges so as to achieve their set goals and objective knowing that educational growth is one of the need of economic advancement. According to Cherry (1987) the quality of decision could depend on the information contents, communication system accessibility of the information to the decision making body and the speed of information flow.
The topic under study is the role of accounting information on resources management using the ministry of education Asaba as a case study.
There will be problem of generalizing, with the result Obtained by this work considering the education organization which do not keep proper accounting record or only keep incomplete records which could not be used to determine the reliance of the manager, such information, other problem 1 question emanating from the above are
1.     To what extends do managers in education line or organization makes use of accounting information consciously and effectively in their management of their material human and capital resources’?
2.     Do the decision on management made with particular reference to accounting information improve the education system effectively
3.     The uses of such information lead to the proper allocation of resources
It is also necessary to know how and what the money being generated from government, renewal of private school (21 cense and contact is being used for). In delta state today using Asaba as an example it will be judiciously in use of revenue from government and other sources. This gives rise to the following question:
1.     Does the ministry of education take into record of the fund that is being given to them by government and how it is being used?
2.     What is responsible for the under development of school in Asaba or it is mismanagement?
3.     What are the conflicting requirement for accountant in education ministry, considering the government policy and environment in which they are operating?
1.3    Objectives of Study
The purpose of this study is as follow:
1.     To determine whether or in course of proper accountability, management relies on the information and the record kept.
2.     To know the type of record kept for generating, acting this accounting information.
3.     To determine if the accounting concepts, techniques and methods adopted by accountant education is in conformity with I CAN and for proper accountability.
4.     To investigate whether management relies on accounting information in resources control and accountability as distinct.
5.     To determine in information generated as an overall resources management in ministry of education.
6     To investigate the system used by management for safe-guarding important accountant records.
7     To determine the extent to which information fulfills the basic role and cost immigration proper allocation of resources and implementation.
8.     To ascertain whether there are problems in generating and utilizing the information necessary for resources management.
9.     To ascertain whether there is an identifiable means of providing accounting and information and the quantity of information.
1.4    Significance of Study
Most ministry or ministries in Nigeria are engaged in essential management activities of planning and controlling because of the present of adequate accounting records from which estimated cost, financial position and result of operation can be determined effectively and efficiently for use by management.
It is hope that the study will discover the possibility of resources management and accountability in ministries. And this study was motivated by the fact that most ministries in Nigeria use resources man-agernent, accounting system, and employs qualified and experience accountant to operate the system because of the cost involved given the limited resources.
However, the study is to show the role of accounting information in resources management arid ministry of education It is important to note that this study will be of immense benefits to the following group.
Firstly, the ministry of education and delta state economy as the study will critically evaluated the role of accounting information on resources management 1 overall accountability in education, with a view to unveiling more result oriented accounting concepts and techniques that can be adopted and applied.
It will serve as a source of encouragement for ministry of education system to realize the usefulness of accounting information and resources management. The beneficence is also the employees, ministry as a whole and other group affected by resources management.
Therefore, ministries are encouraged to adopt inform accounting system of recording transaction with little modification to their peculiar circumstance and it is hoped that the incidence of ministries failures for planning and controlling is routine operation would be greatly minimized.
1.5    Scope of the Study
Accounting information is used in different areas of resources management such as in human capital, material, allocation of ministries and allocation of resources which includes planning, controlling, leading and organizing.
Thus, the study however covers the appraisal of accountability of education ministry It investigate their information need in relation to the kind of decision they usually make and their of resources control.
Specifically, the study covers the following:
1. Classification of resources management.
2. Effective account control procedures.
3. Effective examination of the relevant data from the unit of analysis in pursuance of the desired goal.
4. Determination of the account needed.
5. Determine typical information needs, decision and management.
6. The relationship between ministry of education and the growth of the economy
1.6    Limitation of Study
In course of this study, the researcher experienced the following limitation
1.    Time: The period allocated for the study was quote limited although realizing the problem of obtaining primary data arising from unwillingness to release ease information and delay tactics of respondent such a period of time was short for meaningful and full resource work.
2.    Inadequacy of Material: In spite of the researcher efforts together materials, the collective data were not enough to carry out effective research project of this nature.
3.     Finance: Every effort made in carrying out this research work with all the journeys and called involve was put together with money. The researcher actually suffered serious setback in this direction.
4.    Secrecy: Some information required for this study were regarded as confidential which the researcher found difficult obtain.
1.7    Definition of Terms
1.    Accounting: Accounting refers to the management of science that principle deals with issues of financial book keeping and record for the purpose of planning.
2.    Information: It is the general meaning that is assigned data by means of the convention use in their representation
3.    Accounting: An accountant processed accounting data to produce financial statement and report either purely manual on mechanized (with the use of calculating device or electronic computers).
4.    Responsibility: This is the process of accumulating and reporting information for the use in evaluating manager performance.