Abati: I thought I could rattle Tinubu during media chat — but he knows what he’s doing

By Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

 

Nigeria must evolve an effective and efficient mechanism of administering public resources amid dwindling revenue profiles and the attendant cash flow challenges, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, has said.

The minister, who noted that the challenges of low revenue flow called for prudent management of available resources, urged the stewards and managers of public resources – internal auditors and others – to initiate reforms that would ensure accountability, transparency and blockage of leakages.

Edun, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Department, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr. Okon Udoh, spoke at the opening of the Fourth Internal Auditors’ retreat on “The role of internal auditors in public financial management reforms” in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital

According to him, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) was already championing prudent management of the public resources.

Governor Dapo Abiodun, who declared the retreat open through his deputy Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, identified accountability, transparency and probity as key and pivotal elements of good governance.

The minister charged the resource persons to chart a robust path that would bring about far-reaching benefits to all tiers of government, regarding efficient and effective administration of the commonwealth.

He said: Judging from the theme of the retreat, ‘Enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of public resources – the role of the internal auditor,’ it is indeed very evident that the treasury is demonstrating full knowledge of the fire needs of the nation.

“It captures the mood of the nation given the dwindling revenue profiles of the country and the attendant challenges on the cash flow.

“Indeed these challenges call for prudent management of what is available through the public financial management reforms as being developed and coordinated by the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

“Therefore, we must all devise better, more effective and robust administrative mechanisms that will reduce, if not eliminate waste and corrupt tendencies by using effective reforms.’

Abiodun said his administration will continue to ensure probity and judicious application of public funds and other resources through the blockage of all leakages in the state financial architecture.

He urged participants to put into good use, knowledge garnered at the retreat as representatives of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at the federal, states, and local government levels. (Nation)