Dr. Yankama Jones discusses the importance of technology in reshaping public financial management 

Amujae Leader, Dr. Yankama Manty Jones, in an Overseas Development Institute event in London discussed how technology is reshaping public financial management. 

Dr. Jones, whose public leadership career hallmarks are leveraging research and innovation to improve human capital development and public financial management, discussed the importance of digitization in supporting governments to improve resource mobilization and utilization.

She believes that technology can assist governments in maintaining fiscal responsibility and enhancing their service delivery. Moving forward, she highlighted the significance of adaptable design strategies that enable digital platforms to more effectively align with the fiscal strategies of governments and also emphasized the necessity for digital solutions that can be integrated with various public financial management structures and the broader data environment. 

Drawing on her experience in Sierra Leone’s public financial management, Dr. Jones makes a point that improving government operations is not a goal in itself but a way to meet the needs of society as a whole.

“We are managing resources, not for the sake of managing resources, but we are managing resources for delivering services,” she said.

According to her, digital platforms can enhance the financing of crucial sectors in Sierra Leone by linking expenses to performance data. Dr. Jones emphasized the potential for increased efficiency, particularly in the education and health sectors, which aim to enhance gender budgeting and human capital outcomes. “To incorporate these targeted investments and performance-based financing models, they need to be integrated into the public financial management structure.”

Dr. Jones also suggested that involving experts in data, technology, and service delivery along with those in public financial management can add value to everyone’s work. To make digital personal finance management (PFM) tools more accessible and affordable to all countries, stakeholders need to invest in digital public goods, and open-source solutions and build local capacity while charting the future of PFM platforms.

Dr. Jones, who is the Director of Research and Delivery at Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Finance and is currently seconded to Delivery Associates Ltd, has extensive experience in systems approaches to public service delivery and leadership potential, which are contributing to improving public financial management and human capital development in the country. Additionally, she is transforming lives across Sierra Leone through her foundation, the Yak Jones Foundation, by providing children with unique opportunities to improve their literacy and reading skills.