Business
Ex-ICAN Boss Urges Collaboration On Corruption Crusade
A former boss of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr Omole Ogaga, has called for closer collaboration between employers and the institute to fight corruption effectively.
Ogaga, who is the immediate past Chairman of Lagos Mainland District of ICAN, made the call in an interview with our correspondent in Lagos on Thursday.
He said closer cooperation would help eliminate quack accountants who engaged in malpractices within organisations and agencies in the country.
He argued that the nation’s economy would record positive impact if chartered accountants were engaged by the various sector of the economy.
According to him, ICAN which is the umbrella body of chartered accountants, will become more vibrant if its members are employed and allowed to perform their duties unhindered.
Ogaga said accountants as the life wire of any business, were expected to play that role for economic growth.
The former ICAN boss decried a situation where employers of labour refused to employ chartered accountants, saying it is unhealthy.
He said refusing to engage chartered accountants because of the cost involved could do more harm than good to an organisation.
“A lot of people cannot afford to employ chartered accountants; so, when you see fraud going on they are probably not manned by chartered accountants, because if you are a chartered accountant was managing such a place and fraud goes on there, you risk losing your certificate because by the time it gets to ICAN, they’d call you to a disciplinary committee and if you are found wanting, they will take the certificate from you.’’
Ogaga urged the institute to pay more attention to its district societies as they were the avenues through which chartered accountants air their views.
He said: “ICAN should put more emphasis on the use of district societies, listen to their problems and help them to resolve them because district societies are where the members get close to.’’