Rivers
Corruption Endemic In Nigeria – Accountants
The Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) has described the problem of corruption in Nigeria as endemic, with the capacity to disorganise an Internal Control System of accounting in both governments and private sectors.
The Chairman of the Association, Rivers State chapter, Chidi Emmanuel Orlu, gave the impression in an interview with The Tide after the 2020 End of Year Dinner and the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Association, held in Port Harcourt.
Orlu said the ongoing fight against corruption would be fruitless, if the chain of the collaboration was not broken in the country.
He said the problem was not limited to the accountants alone but to all sectors.
“Corruption is not only associated to accountants alone, the problem of corruption in Nigeria is endemic, it has to do with every Nigerian. Most times the accountants are not chief Accounting officers, they are not the people signing cheques and they act based on directive.
“ Accountants had internal control system, but where there is collaboration, the internal control system would be broken and it is no longer possible to rely on accountancy, this is the problem the accountants are facing”, the senior accountant explained.
On achievements, Orlu said accountants in a team work were able to bring computerisation of Pay Roll System, and computerisation of Contract Award System as well as bidding processes, but yet people still split the systems to have their way in corruption.
“We have tried to bring computerisation of Pay Roll and Contract Award Systems including Bidding Processes System, but yet people still go there and split these systems for corruption, it is not accountants that direct them how to split contracts”, he explained.
The Chairman urged the members to be firm in the accounting professional ethics. He also charged them to upgrade themselves in line with the daily development in the accounting profession.
The Tide reports that sixteen persons were given special recognition for contributing to the development of the association in the state.
Highlights of the occasion includes, Induction of Fellows, Anniversary Awards celebration of the 25th Anniversary of ANAN in Rivers State.
By: Enoch Epelle