The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has honoured Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, and Group Executive Director Finance and Account of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Isiaka Abdulrazak, with 2018 Merit Awards at a ceremony in Lagos.

Other personalities honoured by the professional accounting body at the award ceremony included Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr. Babatunde Fowler; Akarigbo of Shagamu, HRH Oba Babatunde Ajayi, and a retired Fellow of ICAN, Mrs. Margaret Unubun.

Also honoured by ICAN in the Corporate Category were the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan and Fate Foundation.

In the Posthumous Category, the awardees were Late Alhaji Zubair Abdullah and Late Mrs. Uchenna Ifesinachi Erobu.

The ICAN President, Isma'ila Muhammadu Zakari, said the awardees were honoured for their exemplary and distinctive contribution to the growth of the Nigerian economy and leadership quality.

“This honour is in recognition of your outstanding contributions to the ideas of our Institute which include: Accountability, Integrity, Honesty, Exemplary Leadership and Nation Building.”

Speaking on the Finance Minister, the ICAN boss said she was honoured for her roles in strengthening the Nigerian economy and entrenching accountability through the introduction of 22 Points Fiscal Reform Action Plan and the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme.

The Minister has played leading roles in the development of various cost cutting initiatives through the pursuit of carefully thought out policies aimed at promoting transparency in the payment process, drastic reviews of the procurement process, and the sanitisation of the public-sector payroll system which led to the elimination of huge number of ghost workers.

Under her leadership, numerous reforms agenda of the Federal Government had been undertaken such as the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS), implementation of Treasury Single Account, implementation of Whistleblower Policy, establishment of an Efficiency Unit, establishment of Development Bank of Nigeria, launch of Asset Tracking and Management Project, and introduction Fiscal Sustainability Plans for States, among others. (PRNigeria)