Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has charged accounting professionals to partner the state in driving development in Lagos, stressing their workplaces in the position to help government realise the goal of providing world-class services to the people.
The governor spoke through Idiat Adebule, the deputy governor, at the opening of the eighth retreat for Lagos State accountants organised by the State Treasury Office (STO) at the Peninsula Resort, Lekki area of Lagos, South West Nigeria.
“At this time, we must transcend being mere accountants and become public finance management professionals who will use innovation and creativity to ensure efficient management of resources as well as expanding our resource base,” said Ambode.
According to Ambode, “this is the challenge which the over 638 professional accountants in the state public service must rise up to.” The governor said as custodians and managers of financial resources, the state accountants must ensure strict adherence to the rules and uphold the ethics of the profession, adding, “we must live above board, act professionally and resist the temptation to compromise our personal integrity.”
He noted that the ongoing anti-corruption and re-orientation efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari presented a unique opportunity for all to key into, saying the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy and other initiatives being implemented by the state government were geared towards promoting accountability and transparency as well as ensuring reduction in the cost of governance.
He said the theme of the retreat: “Public Sector Accountants as Agents of Change,” was apt for the current situation the nation had found itself, as it served as a clarion call for the application of accounting competencies in addressing the myriad of challenges facing the nation’s economy.
“At this time, we must transcend being mere accountants and become public finance management professionals who will use innovation and creativity to ensure efficient management of resources as well as expanding our resource base.”
The permanent secretary/state accountant general, Abimbola Umar, charged the accountants to be committed to develop positive attitude to face major challenges towards ensuring timely and qualitative service delivery at all times.
Umar noted that the introduction of the TSA since last September had eliminated idle funds and had ensured proper cash management in the monitoring of government receipts and expenditure, adding that the expenditure management planning policy was also established to facilitate seamless and prompt payment of approved expenditure by improving on the predictability of fund released to support project execution in the state.
Akinyemi Ashade, commissioner for economic planning and budget, charged the accountants to be transparent, accountable and be men and women of integrity in the discharge of the duties and responsibilities to the state.
JOSHUA BASSEY
