The Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN) says it remains resolute to safeguard the profession from adulteration by quacks through standards and professionalism in training and practice.
The body observes that as a major stakeholder in the country’s economy, it will continue to connect with other actors through constructive engagements, adding that resolutions from such engagements are communicated to relevant agencies to shape the Nigeria of our dream.
Razak Jaiyeola, the 54th president of ICAN in his address at the 17th Conferment of Fellowship Status ceremony in Lagos, observes that by giving expert solution to national problems, the body safeguard not only the interests of Nigeria, but that of its members, thereby facilitating the creation of an enabling business environment for the over 46,000 members of the Institute.
Jaiyeola opines that the accounting profession, like other disciplines, is witnessing technological disruptions at an unprecedented speed and spate, which are changing the fundamentals on which our activities once relied.
He commended the House of Representatives for its recent bold step at throwing out the Bill for an Act to establish the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Auditors of Nigeria (CIFIAN).
According to Jaiyeola, “The laudable step of the House of Representatives is not a victory for ICAN, but for the country in its entirety.”
He further said the conferment of fellow to the recipient, which is the highest status in ICAN, is in recognition of their adherence to good ethical conduct and professionalism, adding that the awardees have been examined by the Institute and found worthy to be conferred.
“The recipients of today’s Award are either professional accountants of ICAN who have been in practice for a minimum of five (5) years or members who are not in practice but have become chartered for a minimum of ten (10) years.
“It is therefore saying the obvious that the Award Recipients have garnered over the years post qualification experiences, knowledge and skills that stand them in good stead to be deserving of this most coveted and highest professional status of the accounting field,” he said.
He called on every Chartered Accountant to upgrade his/her IT skills for continued relevance in the profession.
On his part, Tunji Olagunju, a guest speaker at the event, says the answers to plethora of challenges facing Nigeria must be provided by the honourable Awardees because they possess universal ethics, based on their professionalism and the ethics of their professions.
Olagunju, while speaking on the topic ‘Beyond professional competence: Accounting for good governance of Nigeria,’ said Nigeria is where it is today because of the deepening deficits of a public philosophy, championed by our political elite to hold the country together.
“This is the gap that the Fellows of the ICAN can and should fill in order to help move Nigeria forward in the right direction from the crossroads in which the country finds itself,” he said.
