President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians to place the public interest above personal or private interest in the collective efforts to build a strong nation which would be pride of all.
Opening the 44th Annual Accountants Conference in Abuja, Tuesday, he said that although the nation was blessed with world class professionals but that some of them had failed to add value to the efforts toward nation building by placing their personal interest above the public good.
The President who was represented by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said, “you must understand that professionalism means supporting good policy that is in the wider public interest even when it does not necessarily benefit the immediate interests of you or your own association.
“Professionalism also demands being constructive in criticisms of policies that you do not support without personalising issues. In the course of this weeklong conference as you revisit the ethics and body of rules governing your profession, I hope that you would also discuss these matters as they relate to the promotion of the public interest.
“Unfortunately, I have also come across some Nigerian professionals whose actions have fallen short of professionalism in the course of my work. There are professionals who resort to blackmail and abuse of government and individuals when they fail to win contracts that are competitively bid.
“There are individuals/professionals who have resort to divisive ethnic and sexist sentiments to blackmail and undermine the government when policies have not favoured their narrow interests. For example, so called “professionals” have attempted to undermine new approaches designed to put this country in tune with international good practice”.
President Jonathan said that his administration has made bold strides on several fronts in his transformation agenda, especially in the power sector, job creation, agriculture, as well as, oil and gas.
According to him, “in the oil and gas, we have completed work on important projects such as the 136km gas pipeline from Oben to Geregu, the 31km pipeline from Itoki to Olorunshogo and the acquisition of 250 square kilometers of 3D-seismic data for the Chad basin. In addition, the government has also initiated the Ogidigben Gas Industrialisation Project which will provide a petrochemicals complex in Delta State.
On job creation, the president said that his administration created 1.2 million jobs last year and that the current focus on the power sector would change the fortunes of Nigerians.
In his address, the President of ICAN, Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu, charged chartered accounts in the country to defend the public interest in the discharge of their duties.
His words, “as conscience of the society, professionals and in particularly, chartered accountants are required to consistently act, promote no defend the public interest. Indeed, great societies are built by profeessionals driven, not by personal interest, but by altruistic service to all. I dare say that the quest by professionals for a better society often encourages them to consistently deliver value to diverse people, sometimes, at great personal price”
He singled out Dr. Ameyoh Adadevoh, Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili, Kris Imodibie, Gani Fawehinmi, among Nigerians who served the public till death.
He added, “as professionals, we have the moral obligation to defend and protect the public interest without fear or favour. Indeed, persuading corporate entities, the government and its agencies to recognise, promote and protect the welfare of the citizenry is in tandem with our advocacy role and inherent mandate as professionals. To shirk this responsibility will be a disservice to the society”.
Mr. Ajaegbu lamented that currently, “public interest is sacrificed on the altar of expediency; private or personal interest is made to supplant the general will” and that medical tourism has taken the place of massive investment in health care facilities for the benefit of the poor”.
The minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. olusegun challenged the accounts to ensure transparency and accountability both in public and private organization and that they must protect the integrity of their profession. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Talk,talk master.
ReplyDeletewho are the people
ReplyDeleteMr President, you are always doing and saying something that will always make people criticize you. You are always lying and people will be saying now that we don't respect you. Where and where did you create the jobs from. You think we have forgotten the immigration job wahala. You are claiming what you did not do. You better respect yourself. When you can't pay workers and you are claiming you create jobs.
ReplyDeletelie lie jona. we r nt kids anymore
ReplyDeleteOgun kill you for that lying statement.. Where is the job that you created?? For your family or for Bayesans people..? The most useless and corrupt government I have ever seen... May God deliver us from these monsters called themselves leader..
ReplyDeleteIs like politicians have a way of understanding themselves because for a rational mind it will be difficult to comprehend how one can claimed he created millions of jobs in this year millions of people already employed lost their jobs. Mr. President if your statistics are right I think is the number of people that lost their job from PHCN, privatized banks that are yet to recover and stock broken firms that are completely out of business as a result of our unstable economy. Jerry
ReplyDeleteHaba!! Kai brother Jonathan Ebola Jonathan, where I create am for job? Kariya ni, Kariya Presidento. Mr. lying president, where are the jobs or you created them for your brothers in the creeks?
ReplyDeletePresident is insulting himself now, later now if people started commenting some idiots will say it's not good to insult our President. You people better advice him now. We are in Nigeria and we know what's happening. And we know his performance, he don't need to tell us.
ReplyDeleteFake
ReplyDeleteYES! I am a lviving testimony of the over a million jobs created last year. If U disagree to and the nearest TRANSFORMER to U.
ReplyDeleteEven the United States, the most economically advanced country in the world does not create 1.2 million jobs in a year, let alone a primitive economy such as Nigeria. Maybe the 1.2 millions includes those who are being trained to carry ballot boxes, come 2015. Mr President, your claim is not true, and the evidence on the ground shows it.
ReplyDeleteWatch....Scam.
ReplyDeleteNO! D MAN ACTUALLY DID.ALINSON EMPLOYED 20,000 IN HR PRIVATEFIRM,ODUAH EMPLOYED 50,000 IN HERS,LABARAN HAS 300,000 IN HIS ND OTHERS WHO LOOTED US DRY
ReplyDeleteChai jona!
ReplyDeleteu people don't understand what he means about that job he created let me tell u now the meaning . he is tell his fellow Nigeria that he has killed 1.2 million people this year
ReplyDeleteNa thunder go fire you this man called jonadaft... Your smile alone dey make me vex! H̲̣̣̣̥ợ̣̣̇̇̇w can a so called president be smiling and sitting comfortably I̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̥̅̊ d midst of d happenings I̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̥̅̊ M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ country...not to talk of him spitting jargons dat his useless and most corrupt govt created 1.2million jobs... Bunch of mofos! ȋ̝̊ wish ȋ̝̊ cld jst kill dat murdafucker! Ordinary bama d idiot cannot control na d whole NIgeria e go come handle?
ReplyDelete