Financial Players Equipped with Writing Skills, Presentation Techniques

More than forty officials in the financial sector of the English-speaking West Africa are being armed with report writing skills and presentation techniques in an eight-day course organised by the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi.

WAIFEM was established in July 1996 by the Central Banks of five West African countries: Gambia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia; but commenced operations in early 1997, with the mandate to strengthen sustainable capacity for debt, financial sector and macroeconomic management in these countries.

Hailing the importance of the course, The Gambia’s central bank governor Amadou Colley says: “Effective communication does not only enable individuals, corporate bodies and communities to express their identity, but it is also the indispensable means for any meaningful collaboration.”

Whilst modern business organisations require constant and large amount of internal and external communication, the course has been designated to empower players in the sector with the capacity to use communication as a powerful tool for job effectiveness.

“Without effective communication and the team effort it engenders, it would be difficult to execute important projects successfully and within agreed timeframes,” Governor Colley noted.

Data gathered and analysed but not effectively communicated and utilised for decision-making “are worthless”, he said, adding that it is equally important for managers to sharpen their communication techniques to enable them pass information convincing to the appropriate level of decision making.

According to Hon. Colley, successful report writing requires professionalism, in-depth knowledge of the subject discussed, concentration, and exceptional writing skills.

From left: Prof. Akpan H. Ekpo, Governor Amadou Kolley and Ousman Sowe, a top official of WAIFEM

1WAIFEM Director-General Prof. Akpan H. Ekpo, in his remarks on the occasion, said: “Presently, over 10,700 officials have benefited from our programmes since inception [in 1997].”
Those vested with the responsibility of internal and external communication, he reaffirmed, must master the communication process to help enhance their job effectiveness.

“This course is organised for the relevant officials to be equipped with cutting-edge communication competence,” he added.

The course is designed to cover grammar and style in writing; guidelines and formats for preparing financial and economic reports; legal issues in report writing; computer applications in report writing; techniques and skills of report presentation, among others.