ICAN President Urges Accountants to Demand Accountability from Govt Officials

Dike Onwuamaeze

The 59th President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Dr. Innocent Iweka Okwuosa, has charged accountants to demand accountability from government functionaries in the course of their professional service so as to enhance transparency in the management of public finance.

Okwuosa, gave this charge yesterday in Lagos, when he delivered the keynote address at “ICAN Accountability Index Assessors’ Training.”

The ICAN Accountability Index (ICAN-AI) is the institute’s annual publication that provides a framework for assessing public finance management and public governance practices across Nigeria’s three tiers of the nation’s public sector in order to ensure transparency and accountability.

He said: “We as accountant are not asking for enough accountability of those charged with governance. Imagine what will happen if each and every accountant demand for accountability from those charged with governance and what will be the impact? But we do not do that. We accept the status quo.

“The way the institute (ICAN) has come to ask for accountability is through this ICAN-AI. That is why we invest so much in it. The reliability of the ICAN-AI depends on what you people do as assessors and coordinators on the field. We will not like to get to a point where people will begin to challenge our output. We decided to organise this training because we do not want that situation.

“We believe that this training will bequeath us with the necessary skills to do the work that we are charged with.”

Okwuosa, stated that ICAN has started to create some narratives around its accountability index, which include enabling government to deliver on their mandate.

“Those governments that do well in ICAN-AI will be associated with being more accountable and transparent in governance. And as such the citizens will vote for such people when they put themselves up for election,” he said.

The other narrative, according to him, was that governments that do well in ICAN-AI are likely to be the ones that the World Bank would listen when they approach it for loans.

He added that “the Pan African Federation of Accountants has also come to recognise the ICAN-AI. It has been noted as professional accountancy organisation intervention to ensure good governance in Africa.

“What we are doing is already having impact in Nigeria and spreading outside the country. Therefore, we must take the training very serious. We need to build a relationship that enables us to get information that we need.”

In his opening remark, the Chairman of ICAN-AI Technical Subcommittee, Mr. Oladele Oladipo, said, “this training event marks a significant milestone in our ongoing journey towards a more transparent, accountable, and responsible governance system.

“Accountability is not merely a word; it is the cornerstone upon which the very foundations of our democracy rest. It is the principle that ensures that those in positions of power answer to the people they serve. Today, we gather here as torchbearers of this principle, as guardians of a brighter future for our nation.

“The role you are about to undertake is one of immense responsibility. Your assessments will shine a light on the state of accountability in our government and institutions. They will identify areas of strength and areas in need of improvement. But beyond the numbers and scores, your work will foster a culture of openness, transparency, and trust.”