ICAN president to FG sell idle assets

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), has urged the Federal Government to sell off idle assets across the country to shore up government’s fund and accelerate the nation’s development.

The President of ICAN, Alhaji Razak Jaiyeola made the call in an interview in Lagos.

He said that some of the assets lying idle, especially in Lagos, were in prime locations, and thus worrisome to ICAN.

“There are lots of assets lying idle around in the country. There is the Federal Secretariat, Ikoyi, Dodan Barracks, Ikoyi Prison, all in prime locations in Lagos.

“The government should sell them and move the barracks and the prison out of the prime areas. To site barracks and prisons in prime areas is not done anywhere,’’ he said.

Jaiyeola, however, commended government’s efforts in the fight against corruption in the country, but said the outcome was still far from ICAN’s expectation.

He said that decisive actions should be taken to reduce delays in prosecuting offenders, and therefore recommended the introduction of special courts to accelerate trial and conviction of corrupt offenders.

The ICAN president also called for the complete riddance of corrupt judges, deployment of intelligence techniques in fighting corruption, vigorous pursuit of voluntary declaration of assets and the whistle blowing policy.

Jaiyeola pledged the willingness of ICAN’s Forensic Faculty to assist government in training relevant agencies in intelligent techniques to boost the anti-corruption fight.

The ICAN boss while speaking on the economy, said that the country must curtail its appetite for imported goods, diversify revenue sources and revive the Ajaokuta Steel Company.

He also appealed to the Federal Government to improve security measures across the country, and pursue with vigor the “Ease of Doing Business’’ toward improving the nation’s business clime.