Lagos State government has charged accountants in the state to upgrade their skills and knowledge of project management as strategic partners to join in the realisation of a ‘Smart City’ vision of the state.
Folashade Adesoye, head of service, stated this yesterday, at the eighth annual public lecture of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Lagos State Public Service Chapter (LSPSC), in Lagos, themed: Infrastructural Renewal and Quest For A Functional Smart Lagos.
According to Adesoye, the accountants’ quality and contributions in the area of the ‘smart Lagos’ initiative will go a long way to portray them and the professional body they represent as strategic partners of the state’s development and growth.
“This is imperative in that we are duly involved in the financial management of the plethora of projects undertaken by our various agencies,” Adesoye, who was represented by Abimbola Shukrat Umar, accountant general of Lagos State, said.
“ICAN, our unique Institute, therefore deserves all the accolades for turning our professionals with integrity and orientations channelled towards Smart Lagos and making life more meaningful for its dwellers, as championed by the state governor”.
“Additional importance was accorded to the provision of specific infrastructure to really drive the noble objective. The bold effort of the current administration in Lagos state is seen to be achieving its goal in this regard due to the coincidence of purposeful leadership and prudent management of resources,” she said.
She noted that the demographic status of the state and its attendant implications imposes the need to focus and embark on well planned and defined infrastructural renewal, in order to sustain its vintage position as the commercial and industrial nerve centre of the country.
“It would therefore be appropriate to acknowledge the concept of Smart management of resources, to achieve smart objectives in Lagos State,” she further said.
Also speaking during the event, Shuaib Babalola Badmos, chairman, ICAN, LSPSC, stated that the quest for a functional smart city with potential of becoming the third largest economy on the African continent was on course.
Badmos said, “The people centred leadership style, grassroots friendly and positive interventionist policies of Governor Ambode will definitely open up the economy to would be investors.”
