ICSAN charges new members on corporate governance

 The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) has charged its newly inducted members to fulfill the expectations of their roles as chartered secretaries and administrators to advance corporate governance in Nigeria.

Dame Julie Okah-Donli, Chairperson, Board of Trustees, United Nations Voluntary Trust Funds for Victims of Trafficking and a fellow of the Institute, gave the advice at the 20th ICSAN induction ceremony on Friday in Lagos.

She said the role of the chartered secretaries and administrators in governance had become more important due to the increasing complexity and pressures of global regulatory compliance.

Okah-Donli said poor governance – a feature of many corporate failures in recent years – would be addressed if chartered secretaries understood their worth and potential and acted accordingly.

She listed some of the roles to be in internal audit, human resources management and entrepreneurial undertakings; including professional roles in accounting, taxation, financial management, risk management and general management functions.

She noted that the reality of today’s marketplace meant that chartered Secretaries could be involved in any aspect of the operations of a company.

She added that success in this age of technological advancement meant chartered secretaries and administrators would have to be receptive and accept an environment of continuous change.

“Today, the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitates that chartered secretaries step up to their full potential and provide additional value and support to their organisation.

“The pandemic has had a major impact on how companies operate and so survival, paying staff and keeping the business afloat are the focus of most companies.

“With the attention of management teams focused on navigating a way through the pandemic, the chartered secretary must evolve in all ramifications,” she said.

The ICSAN professional also urged the gatekeepers of corporate governance to help to rebuild public trust and investor confidence not just in their companies but in the Nigerian economy.

Mr Bode Ayeku, president, ICSAN, urged inductees to consolidate the accrued knowledge from the Institute to nurture economic progress, growth and national prosperity through the effective use of their expertise.

“Professionals in any socio-economic milieu are catalysts of development and it is incumbent on them to channel their energies into building strong and thriving public and private sector institutions to help Nigeria realise her economic growth and sustainable development.

“From today on, as you are taking on the distinguished appellation of ‘Chartered Secretary,’ you have now become professionals whose opinion will be sought in the fields of corporate secretarial practice and corporate governance.

“As an Institute, we would continue to develop and promote the professional ideals, standards, ethics, code of conduct and the interests of the Chartered Secretaries and Administrators,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 258 Associates and 148 Graduates were inducted as professionals of the Institute.