The President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Mr. Davidson Alaribe, has called on the Federal Government to maintain a balanced budget.
According to a statement released on Monday, Alaribe made this call at the 11th Anniversary of ICAN’s Ojo, Badagry, and Agbara District Society Award and Dinner Night, which was held in Lagos.
Nigeria’s budget deficit for the 2025 Appropriation Bill is estimated at N13tn, raising questions about the country’s fiscal sustainability.
Speaking at the event, Alaribe also lauded the Ojo, Badagry, and Agbara District Society of ICAN on its outstanding achievements.
“ICAN has been supporting the government by providing manpower, building capacity for civil servants, and also encouraging the government to have a balanced budget. Every year, we organise a budget seminar to x-ray the government’s budget and advise the government on what to do to improve the dividends of democracy,” he said.
Alaribe, who was once a coordinator of the ICAN-OBA district, said that he was impressed with the current state of the district and how far they have evolved in upholding the integrity of the institute.
“I am happy with OBA district society having been their coordinator. Now that I’m the president and visiting them, I can see that they are doing very well. From my observation, the OBA district has contributed to the development of their community by reaching out to the local government and state assembly for ways of channelling development into the community.
“Also, they have penetrated the community through their good works to ensure that the younger generation takes up accountancy as a profession because accounting is the language of business,” he said.
The ICAN president said that the district had land donated to them by the community in which they desired to build a secretariat for the district society.
“Therefore, I encourage you to take possession of the land because I will be looking forward to coming back shortly to lay the foundation of the building. Members of the district should support their leaders and chairman by raising funds for the building for a greater tomorrow,” Alaribe said.
In his address, the OBA District Chairman, Mr. Lukman Ajibola, noted that in 2024, the district society celebrated its tenth anniversary, marking a decade of growth, learning, and service to the community.
“We are gathered again to continue to build on that legacy, recognising the outstanding contributions of our members, and we are affirming our commitment to upholding the highest standard of our profession. The annual dinner award is a testament to our district’s dedication to fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and support.
“We come together to honour the achievements of our peers, to encourage one another, and to celebrate the impact that our corporation has on the businesses, organisations, and community,” he said.
The 57th ICAN President, Dr. Comfort Eyitayo, congratulated the OBA district society for doing so well and taking several giant strides while urging them to continue in that same vein.
During the event, the ICAN-OBA District Society conferred an award of exemplary leadership on five notable members of the society, including an ICAN Council Member, Mr. Tajudeen Olayinka, for the Outstanding Role Model Award; Bursar, Lagos State University of Education, Mr. Ganiu Ajose, for Distinguished Merit Service Award; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr. Temitope Hundogan, for an Exceptional Leadership Award; lawmaker for Lagos State House of Assembly, Ojo Constituency II, Mr. Surajudeen Emir, for an Exemplary Leadership Award; and Chairman, Ojo Local Government Area, Mr. Rasulu Idowu, for Community Champion Award.
