On the irksome relationship between ICAN and ANAN
Unfortunately, the two major regulators of the profession in Nigeria have not been in good terms with each other for a very long time. This could be seen by the views they have of each other. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) are the […]
Unfortunately, the two major regulators of the profession in Nigeria have not been in good terms with each other for a very long time. This could be seen by the views they have of each other. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) are the two bodies that have been fighting for superiority and recognition from government, corporate bodies and aspiring professional accountants.
The specious argument going on between these bodies is not a welcome development as we have so many professional bodies that exist aside ICAN and ANAN and hardly will you hear or read of any of them castigating each other. We have a lot of professional bodies in Nigeria regulating engineers, builders, surveyors, medical doctors, architects etc, yet none of these bodies is institutionalizing the traits of monopoly and militancy in their professions the way ICAN and ANAN are doing or behaving.
ICAN claims to be the best in terms of standard and popularity while ANAN claims to be the best in restoring the ethical standard of the profession. This is poignant to some of us that studied accounting as a discipline; I wonder if their mission and interest is to propagate the gospel of accountability in which the profession is known for. Accounting is accounting, after all, these bodies have commercialized the profession by charging students high fees and members high dues that is not called for.
The way and manner ICAN and ANAN are developing unhealthy and unprofessional relationship between themselves does not really picture them to the public as intelligent and having respect for one another; the judgment of some of us is that they are out to protect their selfish interest without serious regards for the accounting profession, the umbrella of all accountants.
We have serious economic issues disturbing Nigeria in which ICAN and ANAN are supposed to unite and champion the struggle for economic emancipation, by rendering professional pieces of advice for decision making and policy formulation as we hope to achieve Vision 20-2020. Instead, they are introducing political accounting. We all know that the profession demands dramatic innovation and bold action that will not just revive distressed financial institutions and corporate bodies but also ensure a well guided and sustainable accounting policies in the future.
The disharmony brought about by these bodies must be checked before it leads to physical confrontations between their students who think the one is better than the other. The decision and direction of the student in life is not ICAN or ANAN business. After all, who needs ICAN or ANAN to survive since it is God that gives all good things? May I assume that both bodies lack accounting wisdom, which is having the ability to make sensible decisions based on experience and knowledge? These bodies that are supposed to bring sanctity into the profession are seen in the Accounting Boxing Ring wearing ICAN and ANAN jerseys. This is dishonorable.
The National Assembly should intervene in this cold war because any country that aspires to be a beacon throughout the world must build her economy through the development of the accountancy profession.
It is true that the absence of accounting has brought about disagreement or lack of fellowship in the accounting profession and this will hamper the growth and development of Nigeria. The National Assembly can help save the acounting profession by merging ICAN and ANAN to restore hope to Nigerian accountants.
Why is Nigeria’s budget system not functional as expected? Why is the inflationary ratio on the increase? Why is our pricing policy not checked? What is happening to our tax and insurance policies as it affects the common man? Why are some high institutions recognized and accredited by ICAN and others by ANAN? What are the roles of ICAN and ANAN in advancing the course of our financial regulations and democratic values, and in assisting anti-corruption agencies to fight corruption?
Why are banks distressed when most banks are certified by professional accountants/firms as having true/fair judgment/opinion on the activities of these banks? Who is telling the public lies among the accountants, auditors, the bank management and the Central Bank? Where is ICAN and ANAN debiting and crediting these embarrassing failures that is affecting our national economy? Can these problems be solved by seeing each other as enemies of progress or by working together as partners in progress? Maybe those of us working as civil servants should patiently wait for the passage of the bill on Institute of Certificate Public Accountants of Nigeria (ICPAN) and forget about ICAN and ANAN or leave them to the private sector. Will this be the solution? Or maybe we should encourage more professional bodies into the profession, if possible in all the branches of accounting. When this happens, what will happen to the claims by ICAN and ANAN?
Kigbu wrote from Internal Audit Department, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Area II, Garki Abuja