The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN Eastern Zonal District, has stressed the need for a shift from oil dependency to non-oil sector for the survival of the Nigerian economy.
The call was made as the Institute began its seventeenth Eastern Zonal Conference holding at the International Convention Centre, Awka.
The Conference is an annual event where chartered accountants from public practice, commerce and industry, public sector, academia, professional accountancy organizations and stakeholders across the globe gather to discuss issues considered germane to the zone, the institute, accountancy profession and the nation.
The conference which attracted government officials, has its theme as “Revenue Beyond Oil; Leveraging Non-Oil Exportation for Nigeria’s Economic Survival with subthemes as “Global Skills and Service Export: The Road Map to Export Led Economy”, “Quality of Agro-Export Products: A Pathway to Unlocking Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export Revenue” and “Boosting SMEs Growth for Non-Oil Export Through Instrumentality of Fiscal and Monetary Policies.”
Declaring the event open Governor Chukwuma Soludo represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, commended ICAN for selecting the theme and noted that the present administration is already leveraging on and promoting non-oil exports.
Governor Soludo enjoined the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria to deepen relationships with tertiary institutions and other professional bodies in Nigeria on the engagement of non-oil exports in the country to break away from the over dependence on oil export.
In his address, President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria Mallam Tijjani Musa Isa, said there is an urgent need for Nigeria to boost non-oil exports and diversify foreign exchange earnings and pointed out that shifting focus from oil dependency will not merely be economically beneficial, but would serve environmental, social and governance purposes.
The Eastern Zonal District Chairman of ICAN, Mrs. Chima Okikechi, said the theme is apt because this is an era whereby citizens especially professional accountants should look beyond oil revenue, tap into the knowledge of experts in the field of non-oil production and take advantage of the natural resources Nigeria is endowed with for sustainability in their economic and social achievement.,
The State Accountant General, Dr. Chukwudi Okoli, in his speech urged the Federal Government to also focus attention on other mineral resources spread across the six geopolitical zones of the country for sustainable development and job creation.
The lead paper presenters include the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airborne Express and Air Business Express, Captain John Okakpu, the Consultant of ICH-DIEN Group, Chief Sir Kevin Obieri, and Vincent Onodugo, a professor of Management Sciences and Dean, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.
The conference will end today
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