ICAN Calabar District Society Inaugurates Glory Effiong As 13th Chairman
By Benjamin GBOR
The Calabar and District Society of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) on Saturday officially inaugurated Dr. (Amb.) Mrs. Glory Tony Effiong, JP, FCA as its 13th Chairman during an investiture ceremony held in Calabar, Cross River State.
The event also witnessed the swearing-in of new executive committee members of the district society, drawing attendance from dignitaries, professionals, members of the academia, and government representatives.
In her acceptance speech, Dr. Effiong expressed profound gratitude to God, her family, and members of the society for the confidence reposed in her. She noted that her investiture marked not only a personal milestone but a collective call to raise the standards of the accountancy profession and contribute meaningfully to the growth of Cross River State and Nigeria.
"Let us remind the world that ICAN accountants do not only keep records—we build futures," she said.
Dr. Effiong unveiled a three-pillar vision to drive her administration: Professional Excellence, Public Value, and Legacy Infrastructure.
Under Professional Excellence, she promised to scale up Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes, promote mentorship, and introduce specialisations in areas such as data analytics, sustainability reporting, and forensic auditing.
For Public Value, she pledged increased collaboration with government agencies to support fiscal transparency, revenue optimisation, and reforms in the public sector. She also emphasised sustainable practices aligned with climate goals.
The third pillar, Legacy Infrastructure, is the ambitious plan to establish an ICAN House in Calabar. The multi-functional building will serve as the District Secretariat, a digital training hub, and a state-of-the-art CBT examination centre for students across Cross River State and beyond.
A capital campaign is expected to launch in late 2025, with groundbreaking projected before the end of 2026.
“Whether it is one block, one bag of cement, or one hour of pro bono expertise—every effort counts,” Dr. Effiong appealed
Speaking through Dr Sanni Yemi, Mallam Haruna Yahaya, the 61st President of ICAN, urged the district to align with ICAN’s Ten Transformative Pillars including digital transformation of ICAN processes, institutional capacity building, regulation & anti-corruption, among others.
“Align your district plans to these strategic priorities,” Yahaya’s message concluded. “You have been entrusted not merely with office, but with the call to lead, to serve, and to inspire.”
Speaking on behalf of Governor Bassey Edet Otu, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, commended ICAN for its role in advancing transparency and good governance in the state.
“Accountants are central to good governance. They provide the framework that supports our accountability and ensure that public and private institutions remain responsible,” Ayambem stated.
He further praised Dr. Effiong’s appointment, describing it as a well-deserved recognition of her professional excellence and commitment to service.
“The responsible leadership you embody is what Cross River State needs. We view ICAN not just as a professional body but as a strategic partner in governance,” he said.
