Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, vowed that his administration places a high premium on compliance to due process, probity and accountability in the management of public finances.
Sanwo-Olu gave the vow at the swearing-in of newly appointed commissioners of the Lagos State Audit Service Commission held at the Council Chamber at the State House, Alausa in Ikeja, assuring that his government would not waiver in strengthening processes that would promote prudence and transparency in the expenditure of public revenue.
The governor argued that with a deep-rooted culture of professionalism already established in the Lagos public service, the need to bring a corps of competent professional and thoroughbred auditors on board in all ministries, department and agencies (MDAs) could not be overemphasised.
According to him, this informed the need to appoint the commissioners based on their pedigrees and track records in their respective professional callings, saying that the audit commissioners would be saddled with the responsibility of superintending over issues of recruitment, discipline, promotion and career management of audit staff and officers of the state government.
“The need for a corps of competent, professional and thoroughbred auditors in all our MDAs cannot be overemphasised. As an administration, we will continue to place a high premium on probity, accountability and compliance with due process in the management of public funds,” the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu, while congratulating the newly sworn-in chairman and members of the Audit Service Commission for being considered worthy of the appointment to serve the government and people of Lagos, noted that for the next five years, they would be saddled with the responsibility of superintending over issues of recruitment, discipline, promotion and career management of audit staff and officers of the state government.
This was just as he described their responsibility as statutory and very crucial in determining the quality of service that would be delivered by auditors in the employment of the State Public Service, explaining that the success in the discharge of their responsibility begins by ensuring a recruitment process that emphasises competence, professionalism and integrity.
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“This must be complemented by a discipline and promotion regimes that are based on fairness justice and a rewarding process driven by the quality of performance measured against set standards,” the governor charged.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, however, said he nurtured no doubt the commissioners would see their appointment as a call to service, urging them to bring their “impressive” knowledge, pedigree and professionalism to bear in carrying out their duties.
The Audit Service Commission chairman, Mrs Oluwatoyin Adegbuyi-Onikoyi, a retired Permanent Secretary, in her response, assured the governor that the members would give in their best to justify the confidence reposed in them.
She said the Commission, in line with its vision to be a world-class audit organisation committed to excellence in public service, would focus on building a highly motivated workforce committed to professionalism, prudence and technical skills on audit policy issues.
“The relevance of the Audit Service Commission to the realisation of the administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda can be seen from the onerous responsibility imposed on it by the Lagos State Audit Service Law of 2015.
“By diligent prosecution of our mandate, the government’s development agenda will be reinforced by ensuring value for money, especially making sure that tax-payers’ money is well utilised,” she said.
Adegbuyi-Onikoyi also promised that the Commission would put machinery in place to enhance transparency, probity, accountability and integrity in public revenue and expenditure.
Other members of the Commission include Mrs Jokotola Ojosipe-Ogundimu (Commissioner 1), Mr Emmanuel Sunday Kappo (Commissioner II), Mr Jimoh Akanbi Ibrahim (Commissioner III) and Mrs Kafilat Adetola Ogbara (Commissioner IV).
All the Commissioners were nominated and presented to the House of Assembly for screening before their inauguration for a five-year tenure, which took effect from July 1, 2020.
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