National Development: Oyo REC Warns Accountants Against Corruption

Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC, Dr Mutiu Agboke has warned accountants against corruption in the discharge of their professional duties.

He made his thoughts in Abeokuta, Ogun State at the inauguration of Alhajat Taibat Morunrayo Alim as the first female State Chairman of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN).

The REC who was speaking with journalists after delivering his paper, noted that accountants play key roles in the nation’s development and therefore they refrain from corrupt practices at all times.

Agboke said “As an accountant, you must ensure you keep to the principles of confidentiality, as an accountant you must make sure you don’t comprise your professional ethics and as an accountant, you don’t engage in fraud.

“The way they should play their roles is that they should not aid and abet corruption. Nobody, whether private and public organisation, will be able to go scot free with corruption if an accountant does not have a hand in it.

“So, the professionals are supposed to be the gate keepers of the trust and their conscience. It’s a message to them that if there is any window for them to be corrupt, they should avoid it and if there is any window for them to change fraudulently, they should avoid it.”

The State Chairman, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria,Ogun state branch and member of ANAN, Comrade Olude Isa Owolabi expressed concern that Nigeria has not taken care of the accountants ” like other professionals who are placed on special packages.

He urged professional accountants at all levels to imbibe fundamental principles of accounting which includes confidentiality, objectivity, skills, competence and credibility in order to improve governance in the country.

Olude said “Except a nation concentrates on the improvement of professionalism, such a nation cannot develop economically. Nigeria got its independence decades ago and today we continue to tell the same story while we continue we to do things the same way.

“Accountants should be able to proffer solutions to the problems facing the country especially on revenue drive and improved control system”

The labour leader also advocated that the dichotomy between accountants in different professional bodies should be eradicated, just as he urged the Federal Government to urgently address the insecurity challenges in order to attract direct foreign investments.

In her inaugural address, Alim vowed that ” as the first female chairman, I will not by actions and inactions shut the door against any female who would be aspiring for a position in ANAN n future.”

She also promised membership drive, training and retraining as well increased funding generation for the body.