ICAN reiterates support for war against corruption

The President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Alhaji Razak Jaiyeola, on Tuesday, reiterated the support of the institute on the war against corruption.

Jaiyeola said this at a news conference organised by ICAN at the institute’s centre in Lagos.

Our correspondent reports that the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udoma, last week, called on the Institute to support the anti-corruption fight of the Federal Government.

Udoma tasked ICAN to create systems that promoted transparent and make it difficult for diversion of resources.
The ICAN made Reference to his message to stakeholders at celebration of the 2018 International Anti-corruption Day last Dec. 9.

He said,:”We must continually raise public awareness on the need to articulate the gravity of corruption and the depth of its consequences on growth and development.

“Corruption is not just one of those bad things, but it is the foundation and the core of anything bad.

“It is not just a moral deficiency that affects a select few in a particular jurisdiction, but its insidious effects can snowball to the entire local and global economy, even to succeeding generations.

“That is why at ICAN, we continue to lend our support and voice to the laudable disposition of the current government at ensuring that the country is rescued from the grip of corruption.”
While commending the present administration’s commitment in its fight against corruption, the ICAN president disclosed that the institutr had taken some steps to support the anti-corruption war.

Some of the steps, he said, include the establishment of a Faculty of Audit, Investigations and Forensic Accounting in 2001 and the launch of a 50 million naira Whistle-Blower’s Fund in 2015.
Jaiyeola said it would not be out of place to declare a state of emergency on corruption in the country.

The institute proposed the establishment of special courts that would speedily deal with cases of corruption and Acts to strengthen and grant total autonomy to agencies fighting corruption.

Other proposals include, mandating all political office holders or aspirants to declare their assets before and after tenure of office, according to him.