Int'l Accounting Day: ANAN Stakeholders advocate for improved conditions of service for Accountants, professional development
By Ebi COLLINS
The Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Cross River branch, has called on organizations to improve the conditions of service for accountants as a precursor to effective service delivery.
The call was made by stakeholders at the 2024 edition of the International Accounting Day, marked on Monday, November 11,2024, in Calabar, the state capital. The various speakers maintained that the call is a crucial step towards enhancing efficiency, recognizing the value and contributions of accountants in any organization.
In his opening address, the Association's branch chairman, Dr. John Ekanem stated that ANAN would continue to push for better working environments and resources to support accountants' professional growth.
Dr. Ekanem encouraged members to develop their skills and knowledge to stay competitive and provide high-quality services, adding that the association under his watch will continue to aid professional development, by providing access to current information, knowledge acquisition, and informed decision-making opportunities.
"The theme "Accountants Can Keep Us Safe" for the 2024 International Accounting Day suggests that accountants play a vital role in ensuring the financial stability, security, and sustainability of organizations, economies, and societies," he stated.
He said as an Association, ANAN will continue to enhance professional excellence by striving to make itself a premium brand of choice in professional accounting practice, as well as impacting on accounting education in Nigeria.
By advocating for improved conditions of service and encouraging capacity building, the Chairman averred that ANAN is working towards a brighter future for accountants in Cross River state and Nigeria at large.
In her goodwill message, Cross River Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Edema Irom, pledged her support for the accounting profession, especially the women professionals, describing accounting as one of the most important professions in any organization.
She enjoined accountants to be diligent and uphold professional ethics in the discharge of their duties as a counsel from an accountant can make or mar an organization.
Also speaking, a veteran accountant and scholar, Prof. Joseph Offiong Odoyan, told pressmen that the International Accounting Day, which began in 1972, is a day set aside for Accountants to celebrate themselves as the life wire of every business or organization.
He also corroborated the Chairman's position by calling on government and other organizations to strengthen their accounting departments through periodic training and retraining of accountants in their employ.
He used the opportunity to charge his colleagues in the accounting profession to always endeavor to keep accounting records of their respective organizations in order at all times.
In her remarks, Cross River Professional Women Accountants in Nigeria (PROWAN) which is the women wing of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, said just as the wing is dedicated to empowering female accountants and promoting their contributions to the field, the female folks have not disappointed in their participation and professional excellence in the Association.
She assured that PROWAN will continue to provide a platform for professional women accountants to network with the larger body, share knowledge, and develop their skills, while calling on more women to join the profession, which she described as part and parcel of a woman's day-to-day life.
The International Accounting Day is celebrated on November 10th every year. The day is meant to promote the accounting profession, give people opportunities to network among colleagues, and provide education for those interested in the industry. In Cross River, the day was celebrated on Monday, 11th November, given that the original date (10 November) fell on a Sunday.
The event climaxed with a paper presentation by Dr. Ayitu Ayitu, title "Payment and documentation in accounting," among other activities.
