WorldStage Newsonline– President Bola Tinubu has described Renewed Hope agenda as the strategy of his administration for Nigeria to confront her reality.
In his opening address at the 54th Annual Accountants Conference with the theme “Governance Reimagined: Mapping The Future” on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, he said “we are not where we want to be, we are not growing fast enough, and decades of underinvestment have limited the economy from delivering on its potential.”
Represented by Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister Of Budget And Economic Planning, he said the theme captured “our aspirations and marks a significant milestone in our journey towards refining governance and fortifying accountability across our great nation.”
Posing a question at the Accountants, he asked “How can we, as stewards of governance and accountability, harness our collective expertise to foster a more transparent, efficient, and equitable society?”
He said their role as accountants in cultivating transparency, upholding integrity, and managing our nation’s resources adeptly was indispensable. “Your expertise does not merely shape our economic landscape—it fortifies the foundation of trust upon which our societal progress is built,”.
He said as governance landscape is dramatically evolving, presenting challenges and opportunities that demand innovative solutions and proactive strategies, the advent of emerging technologies opens new avenues for enhancing accountability and transparency.
“We must foster robust collaboration and networking among policymakers, regulators, and professionals to harness these opportunities effectively,” he said.
“The Necessary Choices, pleasant and otherwise, we made in the last 17 months were designed to stop the decline and put us on a path to higher, sustainable, and inclusive growth. It is encouraging that GDP growth for the first and second quarters of 2024 was positive while inflation turned downwards. The foreign exchange market is stabilising, and we see encouraging investment signals.
“We are continuing with innovative reform measures: digitisation of revenue collection and government services, consumer credit system to boost manufacturing and enable access to goods and services, mortgage system reform to provide wider opportunities for home ownership, CNG penetration to offer cheaper and alternative energy sources, and agriculture development fund to de-risk agricultural investments further.
“Our reforms include removing punitive subsidies to the economy. Revenue bleeding has reduced, and the three tiers of Government are receiving higher allocations, which enable more support to vulnerable populations. Social investment spending is increasing, the minimum wage has increased, student loans are available, and interventions to support NANO, MSME, farming, fishing, and the livestock sector have increased.
“Our collective vision for Nigeria’s future is anchored on strengthening our institutions and nurturing a pervasive culture of accountability. We are committed to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to boost transparency and efficiency and cultivate strategic partnerships that pave the way for sustainable development.”
He said as his administration delved into the complexities of governance, “I call upon each of you to participate actively in the dialogues unfolding over the next few days. Share your unique insights and forge new connections. Together, let us develop actionable plans to lead Nigeria towards a future where governance is synonymous with integrity, transparency, and accountability.”
