An online publication, NPO Reports, has announced a date for the second edition of its Annual National Dialogue.A statement by the Chief Executive Officer of S-OK Advisory and Media Limited, publishers of NPO Reports, Semiu Okanlawon, said the event, themed: ‘Revenue Generation, Infrastructure Progress: Options in a Challenged Economy’, would be held on November 26 at the Nigerian National Merit Award House in Abuja.
He revealed that experts from critical sectors of the economy, revenue-generating agencies and policy analysts had been lined up to dissect issues relating to revenue generation and challenges of infrastructure deficit in the country.
Prominent among those to speak at the event include the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr Zacch Adelabu Adedeji; former Postmaster General of the Federation Dr Ismail Adebayo Adewusi, who would chair the programme.
Adewusi, who is Chairman of Global West, was also Commissioner for Finance and later Budget and Economic Planning in Lagos State under the administration of then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Also to speak at the ceremony are a Senior Research Fellow of Political Science in Political and Governance Policy Department at the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan, Dr Hakeem Olatunji Tijani; Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr Tope Fasua; Chief Communication Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Femi Soneye, and Idayat Hassan of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CISI).
Okanlawon said the event is in furtherance of the news medium’s commitment to deepening conversations on issues that border on the welfare of Nigerians. His words: “For instance, current administrations at all levels are confronted with serious issues of infrastructure decay. These are very ominously manifest in the critical sectors like education, health, roads, security and others. Funds are needed to fix these.
“However, the administrations are also faced with daunting challenges in getting the needed revenues. Insecurity has made oil revenues unpredictable with the government battling to shore up crude oil production.
“The tax reform efforts of the government are being met with stiff resistance, causing the fears that the leakages of many decades and other factors causing revenue shortfalls may persist. What then are the ways out?” He said these and many more are the issues up for discussion at the event.
Speakers at the 2023 maiden edition of the programme spoke on campaign promises as accountability issues. They had called on political stakeholders to hold officeholders accountable to the promises they make during electioneering.
