ANAN task accountants to end recession, shun corruption

Accountants were yesterday tasked to end recession by employing its technical expertise in finding a way out to the current economic downturn faced in the country.

They were however also cautioned to stop aiding corrupt Nigerians in siphoning money, if the fight against corruption must hold-sway.

Speaking at the second session of the 2017 mandatory continuing professional development training of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), held in Jos the Plateau State Capital Tuesday, the national President and Chairman of the Council of ANAN, Anthony Chukwuemeka Nzom, said the association is committed to the fight against corruption embarked by the current administration.

Nzom posited that in ending recession, corrupt politicians must change from old ways and professional Accountants must understand they are stakeholders in the economic development of the country.

With the theme, ‘Strengthening public sector financial management in times of national economic recession’, the national chairman said the topic was carefully chosen to addresses current issues as it effects the country.

He said the recent developments in our body polity and the entire economic spectrum, paint a gloomy state of affairs, adding that it can be traced to poor management of our national resources, leading to the prevailing economic recession that has brought pain and untold hardship on the populace.

The way out, according to him, is, “pragmatic approach and result-oriented measures to get us out of the woods”.

Nzom maintained that the theme of this training is certainly “contemporary in focus”, and is “loaded with enlightening sub-themes”.

He commended the Federal Government over the recent launch of economic recovery programme, saying that “as we battle the effects of the economic recession in our nation, we commend efforts of the Federal Government in launching the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, a medium term plan for 2017-2020, designed to restore economic growth and provide a support base for the inventiveness of the Nigerian people”.

He called on the government “to use the ERGP as a platform to building a competitive economy by stabilising the micro economic environment, boosting agriculture, food security, driving industrialisation, and providing more employment opportunities in the nation”.

However, declaring the programme open, the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong, who was represented by the State commissioner for finance, Tamwakat Weli, called on members of the accounting body to live above board, especially as the anti-corruption war of this administration rages, noting that it is rather unfortunate that accountants are often complicit in cases of fraud in public offices.