Lagos govt tasks women accountants on financial transparency
The Lagos State Government has tasked women accountants on financial transparency, as they carry out their accounting obligations.
Mrs Yemi Ayoola, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Finance, gave the advice while speaking with the Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN), on courtesy visit to the ministry.
In a statement in Lagos on Tuesday, Ayoola said that the women accountants needed to rise up to the challenges of financial mismanagement, recklessness and waste in public service, to save the nation’s economy from collapse.
She said that there is a need for women accountants to use their innate talents as mothers and the ethics of their profession to effect positive changes necessary for ethical rebirth and financial discipline in public service.
According to her, women accountants have a vital role to play in bringing back sanity, transparency, due process and financial discipline to public service, to pave way for more sustainable growth of the economy.
“As a senior member of SWAN, l want to acknowledge your various contributions to the growth of our society.
“Your association, despite being non-profit has done a lot in assisting the less privileged, giving voice to the voiceless, raising the hope of the hopeless and standing against all forms of abuses against women,” she said.
Ayoola urged the body not to relent in waging war against domestic and sexual violence, drug abuse, banditry, kidnapping, youth restiveness and other social vices capable of undermining the nation’s development growth.
She said that the government was prioritising the capacity building of its professionals in the state public service, including members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
Ayoola noted that efficient service delivery was hinged on the availability of a competent and well-trained workforce, who should always be there to drive various development initiatives of government.
Earlier, SWAN President, Mrs Felicia Bamigbose, said the visit was aimed at showing solidarity and identifying with the success made by the permanent secretary as one of their members.
Bamigbose said that it was a thing of joy for the association, seeing one of its members become permanent secretary and also reaching the pinnacle of the profession as well as occupying a position often dominated by men.
“We are proud of you. We thank God for your elevation, while we pray for divine wisdom and favour that will make you excel in this new position,” she said.