Ogun State House of Assembly has challenged the nominee for the post of the State Auditor General, Mr. Akorede Balogun, to evolve strategies and other innovative measures towards sustaining accountability and transparency in the financial records of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to aid auditing process.
The State lawmakers led by the Speaker, Rt Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, threw the challenge today, while screening the nominee, whose name was recently forwarded to the Assembly by the State Governor, Prince Abiodun at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Also speaking, other members including the Deputy Speaker, Akeem Balogun, Oludaisi Elemide, Yusuf Adejojo, Musefiu Lamidi and Abdul Bashir Oladunjoye described the Governor’s nominee as a round peg in a round hole, imploring him to further sustain the tempo of entrenching financial discipline if confirmed by the Assembly and eventually sworn in by the Governor.
Responding, Mr. Balogun who reeled out his work experience to the lawmakers, assured them of turning around the fortunes of the Office by ensuring that all MDAs promptly undergo periodic auditing process to create value for government scarce resources, if confirmed by the Assembly and sworn-in by the Governor.
He further assured of the timely compilation and submission of the annual audit reports of MDAs and their subsequent transmission to the Assembly for further legislative actions, with an assurance of stepping up measures towards curbing loss of government revenue.
He underscored the role of continuous capacity development for auditors to aid efficiency, while assuring the lawmakers of improved service to all government MDAs with the adoption of the modern trend in auditing.
Balogun, an indigene of Odeda Local Government, is a graduate of Banking and Finance from the Olabisi Onabanjo University, and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He joined the State Civil Service in October, 2002 and rose to become the Director, Government Accounts, until his nomination a week ago.
