Accountants have long engaged in whistle blowing on corrupt practices in public and private organisations long before the federal government introduced the whistle blowing policy on fraud, the President/Chairman of Council, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Prof. Benjamin Osisioma has said.

He also said beyond the whistle blowing on corruption, the Association members who abuse your professionalism by engaging in corrupt act, when found guilty are severely punished. Alh. Ladan stated this yesterday when he led his Executive Council on a courtesy call on the management of Media Trust Limited, the publishers of the Daily Trust titles.

He also said the resolve of the association in fighting corruption has led it to partner the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on forensic accounting training. He said its brain child, the Society for Forensic and Fraud Prevention, trains its members in forensic accounting at the ICPC facility in Keffi, Nasarawa state in order exposed high level corruption in both public and private sectors.

He said, the Association, as one of the foremost accounting bodies in Africa is committed to fighting corruption and instilling best practices in the accounting profession. Alh. Ladan who was recently elected as the ANAN president said his tenure will see the Association developed into a global accounting body of choice. “My administration will be committed to strengthening governance, staff development, marketing of ANAN brand worldwide, ensuring public interest and quality assurance, membership development, financial reporting standards, infrastructure development, consolidation of our external relations and improving investment to our Association and country” he promised.

ANAN is a truly national accountancy body with education and training programmes reflecting the national environment, which meets international accepted accountancy standards. ANAN is a member of International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), Board Member of Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA) and the second largest Professional Accountancy Organization in PAFA. ANAN is recognized as the leading professional accountants’ organization in public sector accounting in Africa” he said. Also speaking during the visit, Professor Muhammad Akaro Mainoma, VC Nasarawa State, University and Chairman Examination Committee of ANAN said ANAN with more than 25,000 membership strength has witnessed an upsurge of enrolments because of the high profile nature of the body.

He said at the moment, over 3000 prospective members are writing ANAM examinations, a demonstration of the acceptance of the accounting body. He also said, graduates who are ANAN qualified are better placed in organizations compared to those without ANAN qualificiations. Earlier, Daily Trust’s Associate Editor, Business, Mr. Aliu Akoshile told the ANAN delegation that Daily Trust, the number one newspaper and mostly widely read newspaper in Nigeria is willing to partner the Association to help it achieve its set goals. While thanking them for visiting Daily Trust, he said the newspaper is highly ethical and abide by the true tenets of ethical journalism.