Ambode charges accountants to shun corruption

Kazeem Ugbodaga

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has charged accountants in the state’s Public Service to shun all forms of corruption and live above board.

The governor spoke at the weekend while declaring open the 8th Retreat for Lagos State Accountants organized by the State Treasury Office, STO, at the Penninsula Resort, Lekki area of Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

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 that “we must live above board, act professionally and resist the temptation to compromise our personal integrity.”

He added that the ongoing anti-corruption and re-orientation efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari presented a unique opportunity for all to key into, saying that 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.

Ambode stated that 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,” said Ambode, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule.

According to him, “this is the challenge which the over 638 professional accountants in the State Public Service must rise up to.”

The governor enjoined accountants to embrace the spirit of change, think outside the box, employ universally accepted principles of accounting and become not just book keepers but financial solution providers to the government.

Ambode reiterated his administration’s commitment to the enhancement of professional skills and capacity building of all civil servants across board as the Ministry of Establishments, Pensions and Training had been ordered to ensure judicious use of training resources for all cadres of professionals in the civil service.

He urged the accountants to use the period of the Retreat to map out appropriate plans and strategies in delivering quality service as agents of change with his administration.

The Permanent Secretary/Accountant General, Mrs 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.

She 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.

Umar disclosed other financial solutions still on the drawing board to include the billing platform for increased revenue generation, full utilisation of all the oracle modules for efficiency and improved service delivery and the implementation of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards for transparency and accountability in governance.

“It is evident, therefore, that we as accountants must sharpen our knowledge and skills by embracing these areas of technology in the provision of the required financial services towards achieving the administration’s social contract of a Lagos that works for all,” she said.

Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Akinyemi Ashade, 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.