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President Muhammadu Buhari
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President Muhammadu
Buhari on Tuesday warned that with the fall in oil prices, Nigeria risked
economic decline, if it failed to manage its resources prudently. Buhari gave the warning
during a meeting with members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of
Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According
to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina,
Buhari urged accountants to take their audit reports seriously.
He
urged them to support his administration’s efforts to restore probity, prudence
and transparency.
The Punch report continues:
Buhari
said with declining prices of oil exports, Nigeria must begin to properly
manage its available resources or face developmental stagnation and decline.
The
President stated that accountants should help the government “to go back to the
days of real accountability in the management of public funds.
“The
annual audits of government ministries, agencies and departments, which your
members undertake must be taken more seriously. People must be made to properly
account for whatever government funds are entrusted to their supervision.
“Let
your audit reports on our MDAs be thoroughly, professionally and
dispassionately done to ensure greater probity in the management of our
national resources.”
The
ICAN President, Olufemi Deru, in his speech, hailed the renaissance of the
nation’s value system and the reinvigoration of the war against corruption by
Buhari.
He
stated, “The values you hold dear – those of integrity, transparency and
accountability – are the foundation of the accountancy profession.
“It
is therefore heartening and commendable that you are engaging our members and
their firms in the anti-corruption crusade.”
After
the meeting, the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibukunle Amosun, and his Lagos
State counterpart, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, spoke with journalists.
Amosun
said to fight corruption, there was a need for accountants to collaborate with
government in planning, budgeting and management.
He
noted that accountants were being involved in the investigations being
conducted by anti-corruption agencies.
On
his part, Ambode said that Buhari had succeeded in bringing integrity and
credibility into public office and commended the President’s 100 days in
office.
When
asked whether he was probing Fashola, he said, “I have said it is continuity
with improvement.”
Commending
Buhari, Ambode said that the President had shown strong leadership.
He
stated, “What President Muhammadu Buhari has come up with in the last 100 days
is about credibility and integrity for those of us who are in public office.
Buhari has come up with moral leadership in the last 100 days and that is what
is needed to fight corruption in the country.
“Nobody
is judging anyone. What we have seen since May 29 is about strong leadership
that has shown direction to all Nigerians. The mantra of such leadership that
is being reflected by the President is what we are seeing in other states.”
According
to him, everybody is beginning to feel that the law must be obeyed.
He
noted that all revenue agencies had started paying to a single account, which
had made everyone to be accountable.
Deru, who also spoke with
journalists, said, “Accountability is our business and we uphold the tenets of
transparency and we must be transparent in what we do. We also have the
whistle-blowing fund so that anybody who misbehaves and they want to penalize
our member, we have ₦50m set aside to fight such
course.”
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