By Nnabugwu Chizoba
From available records, the Association of National
Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), has attained enviable height. This is due largely
to the fact that the Association has continuously taken deep and reflexive look
at the government, the people, and the processes, in her programme design,
capacity building, and networking. Others are the Association’s passionate stand
on Accountability, Integrity, Competence and functional learning, diligence and
Nigeriancentrism, which are easily identified in the body language of ANAN.
ANAN’s
systematic and synergetic methodology at searching and identifying new, and
suitable frameworks for sustainable development, of Nigeria, is awesome. It recognizes and combines
short and long-term changes to meet current mainstream.
The above is manifest, in the Association’s monitoring and
evaluation efforts, in the skills evolution process, and engendering
programmes. It has also reflected in the leadership of ANAN, in the ability,
over the years, to create, inspire and motivate a team of knowledgeable and
skillful Professionals to pursue a common vision and, very importantly to
follow-up and ensure the attainment of such vision and goals.
History, is known as the main stay and genetic blueprint for
real and effective socio-economic, and political transformation of any
developing and developed societies. The consensus of opinion is that History
practically influences behavior, beliefs and choices of men and women.
It must be noted, and indeed admitted that ANAN, has a very
exciting history. The type that practically stimulates and influences behavior,
beliefs and choices of men and women. The history of ANAN is necessary to all
generation of MEN: the young and the aged, the aristocrat and democrat, the
lowly and the noble, the poor and the affluent and to the Kings, Princesses and
their subjects.
The history of ANAN, clearly indicates a faithful, reliable,
honest and bold efforts by leaders and counselors that accurately reveals
obligations, duties and roles that evidently shows the account and success
chart of knowledgeable, competent and generous leaders, as against the failures
and errors of unpopular, uncompassionate and unacceptable rules and operations
that alienated the people.
Put together, let me state emphatically that, the huge investment
that the great minds, the trail blazers (the founders of ANAN) have bequeathed
to Nigeria and by extension Africa, that is, the human capital development
center, known as the Nigerian College of Accountancy (NCA), and her products,
the graduates of the college, are heavy resources, to be confined in Nigeria, without
a well spelt out and clearly structured expansionary blueprint to do for Africa,
what ANAN has done for Nigeria. Not doing it, is not healthy for the
development of the African Continent.
The attention of ANAN, through this medium, is drawn to this
clarion call.
Truth is, deepening ANAN’s operations and activities, replicating
her achievements in Nigeria by way of doing same in Africa, is not only necessary,
but apt and timely too. It will go a long way to give Africa a pride of place, a
better identity in the world.
The good news is, the structure of accounting education, at
Colleges and Higher Education levels is a priority of ANAN. This is indeed,
heartwarming, especially if one considers that ANAN,
understands the peculiarities of any moment, and takes uncompromising steps to
guard against undesirable effects and outcomes.
The core of this piece, its statement of objective, therefore,
is to call on ANAN to rise and embrace the challenges inherent in this Africa rescue
project. This project if executed, will move Africa, significantly and harmlessly
away from “second colonization”, marginalization and endless domination.
The World, today, is dividing itself into regional trading blocs
with the Americans, European Union and Ashia, growing and remaining very
powerful. Other trading blocs are emerging at the frontiers, but the African
continent has remained porous, unintegrated and vulnerable to series of
negative influences.
ANAN must re-strategize, and in the interest of Africa and
Africans, play the leading role of bringing African Professionals together, to
work towards using the same measurement mechanism, and Accounting standards; especially
in the area of Environmental Accounting Management, and Economic Performance
Metrics.
ANAN, as a body has array of human resource capital, from social
to the academia, industry, and governance.
That the Association and her richly endowed members have the
capacity to design and develop multi layered programmes that will ensure
multi-sector partnerships, is not in doubt. Replicating the efforts that rescued
Accountancy Profession in Nigeria from colonial encumbrances, is a phase that Africa must interface
with.
Leaning and learning from the Nigerian effort, experience,
challenges and outcome, the task before ANAN, in this Africa Rescue Project, is
basically to bring together, in this context institutions and organisations
considered stakeholders of the economy (not necessarily accounting or Professional
bodies), operating in Africa.
The proposed list, in Nigeria for example includes:
Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines
and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC),
Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Institute of Chartered
Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian
Accounting Teachers Association (NATA), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Bank of Industry (BOI), Small and Medium
Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), National Association of
Small and Medium Industries (NASMI), and Nigerian Economic Summit Group.
Others are, National University Commission, National Board
for Technical Education (NBTE), National Commission for Colleges of Education
(NCCE) and the Financial Reporting Council, as well as, the National
Orientation Agency. The list also
includes, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Nigerian Union of
Journalists, Nigerian Bar Association, Tourism Development Association and,
Non-Governmental Organisations, Civil Society Groups, and others.
It is common knowledge that the Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs), operations in Africa, is still at the foundation level.
The
Plan of Action includes expansion of the accounting curricular to incorporate
environmental costs and assets, carbon footprint calculation, climate carbon budgeting
and climate change issues, in a changing world and emerging industrial
revolution, in Africa.
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