Minister Advises Accountants to Block Illegal Fund Releases

• ANAN promises technical support on zero-based budgeting

By Ndubuisi Francis

The Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Hajia ZainabAhmed, has admonished Nigerian accountants to resist corruption, block illegal fund releases, and uphold the tenets of their profession by continuously inculcating the virtues of incorruptibility and accountability.

She handed down the admonition when the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), led by its President and Chairman of Council, Mr. Anthony Chukuemeka Nzom, paid a courtesy visit to her in Abuja.
The minister stated that preparations for the 2017 budget has commenced to enhance economic development.

Ahmed stressed that the federal government had also commenced the preparation of the Medium Term 2016-2020 Development Programme to achieve sustainable development.

The minister , who appealed to the members of ANAN to assist the present administration to fight corruption , lamented the negative impact of corruption.
“The terrible corruption of our past administration has denied Nigerians benefits of our commonly-owed resources. As accountants, we can resist corruption, block illegal releases. We need to start from ourselves, and we must uphold the tenets of our profession and make ourselves clean and accountable always”

“Our administration came on a change mantra. “We shall be transparent and accountable to all Nigerians,” the minister assured.

Earlier in his remarks, Nzom had conveyed ANAN’s readiness to provide technical assistance to the staff of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning on Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) concept which the incumbent administration is spearheading..
Nzom, commended what he described as the visionary appointment made by President Muhammadu Buhari, of two ANAN fellowship members, Hajia Zainab Ahmed as a minister and Alhaji TijjaniMuhammed Abdullahi, who is the incumbent Director General, Budget Office.