PBA ReporterThe Bursar of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Mrs. Hadiza Goje, FCNA, FCTI, has urged accountants in the country to discharge their assigned duties in line with ethical provisions of the profession.
She gave this advice while delivering a lecture titled: Accountants and Ethical Conduct the Implications on Nigeria’s Economic Development in the 21st Century on Saturday, March 12, 2020, at the 116 General Meeting of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) held at the Alhaji Saidu Namaska Hall, Niger State College of Education, Minna.
Mrs. Goje stated that adherence to ethical provisions by accountants would assist in tackling corruption and other inherent sharp practices in the profession.
According to the financial guru, professional ethics is a set of moral values that guide the conduct of professionals in the discharge of their functions and in their relationship with clients and colleagues while noting that integrity, objectivity, professional competence and due care, confidentiality, and professional behaviour are the five fundamental ethical principles required by professional accountants.
On the role of ethics in accounting practice in the 21st century, the FUT, Minna Bursar revealed that users of accounting services have continued to rely on the professional opinions of accountants to take vital decisions concerning their investments and financial well-being of their organizations.
She maintained that adherence to ethical principles by professional accountants will help to reduce financial wastage, uphold a good professional reputation, client and employer’s satisfaction, and retention.
Equally important, she said that the Nigerian economy cannot operate efficiently without professional accountants, adding that ethical accounting practice in the public and private sectors of the economy would promote sustainable management of the nation’s financial resources, and good public sector governance.
Furthermore, she disclosed that the 21st century is an information-driven age that has redefined the expertise of professional accountants through the adoption of information and communication technology to discharge their functions seamlessly.
“Several software and applications such as Sage, Phthon, Xero, Wave, Excel, etc. have been developed to make accounting work easier. Accountants must learn this software to render quality accounting service to their clients and employers and be relevant in the 21st-century financial industry”, she stated.
She enumerated the establishment of automated accounting systems, application of accounting and financial reporting standards, forensic accounting skills as some of the novel technologies of the 21st-century accounting system.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman ANAN, Niger State Branch, Mr. David Tanko Tula noted that the purpose of the lecture was to bring members of the Association up to speed with novel trends in the profession so that they can compete favourable with their counterparts.
The Chairman, ANAN, expressed appreciation to the Bursar, FUT, Minna for accepting to deliver the lecture despite her tight schedule, while describing her lecture as well detailed with the touch of professional experience as a seasoned accountant.
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