ICAN BOSS URGES ALL NIGERIANS TO IMBIBE ACCOUNTANCY VALUES
THE President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Rtd. Major General Sebastian Onwuama (FCD) has stressed the importance of Accountancy and accountants to the attainments of the national goal of a corruption free country urging his colleagues not to compromise the ethics of the profession and the confidence reposed on them as the financial conscience of the nation.
Onwuama, however, commended his colleagues both in the public and private sector for upholding and spreading the gospel of integrity transparency and accuracy, which according to him were some of the core values of the profession.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Ikorodu District, the Institute's newest district and the investiture of its pioneer chairman, Revd Samson Disu, (FCD), warned that if the professional ethics is compromised, the adverse effects would not only be limited to the profession but would also affect the national values, as well as, undermine the economy.
His words, 'I urge you all to continue to discharge your various professional engagements with integrity, accuracy and strong ethical ideals, bearing in mind that if these virtues are compromised for any reason by any member, the entire Accountancy profession would not only be brought into disrepute, but public trust in the profession will be betrayed.'
He admonished all, including non-accountants both in public and private places to imbibe and practise the values of the profession for sanity and efficiency to return to both financial administration and governance in the country.
The president said the expansion of the institute was not limited to the Nigeria shores as he announced that already the institutes had opened two districts in both the United States of America and the United Kingdom, adding that plans have reached a final level to establish the Canadian district.
He announced plans to take the profession to the doorstep of all Nigerians, especially students with interest in studying accountancy but who lacked the financial wherewithal to do so.
Towards this, he said (ICAN) had sought the assistance of some states and local government to offer scholarship to indigent but brilliant students with interest in studying accountancy.
'As part of efforts to ensure that its members across the country have access to latest information, and as a way of ensuring continuous education for them, the institute had donated about N4.6 million worth of books and journals to the library of all its 46 districts across the country,' he revealed.
Revd. Disu in his acceptance speech vowed to deepen the continuing education of members' policy of ICAN by ensuring that regular and periodic workshops, training and conferences are organised for the benefit of members of the Ikorodu district.
In doing this, Disu vowed that standard would not be compromised, stressing that only quality and standard firms certified by the parent body would be given approval to organise training and seminars in the district.
The new chairman said one of the task set by his administration was to catch them (would be accountancy student) young. By this, he said officials of his district would visits secondary schools in the area with a view to influencing the choice of Accountancy by students.
As part of the efforts, he said the district would promote organising career counselling and talks in secondary schools in the district.
'We plan to visit secondary schools and market the product of how to become a Chartered Accountant at age 19 to school principals and school proprietors/proprieties. This is an avenue of impacting on our community and reducing the wave of juvenile delinquency,' Disu said.