Abakaliki- The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Ebonyi chapter, has  expressed worry over the dearth of qualified accountants in the state.
Mr Sunday Ituma, The state Chairman of ICAN, Mr Sunday Ituma, told newsmen that the state had less than 50 qualified accountants in both public and private sectors.
He said the situation had challenged the institute to make more efforts effort to encourage more accountants to register and avail themselves of ICAN opportunities.
“We have inaugurated a functional secretariat to coordinate all our activities which would ensure that more people are trained to become qualified accountants.
“We also visit institutions of higher learning in the state to encourage students to take ICAN examinations and avail themselves of the opportunities we offer.
“We also visit various batches of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to enlighten them on our activities and processes of qualifying as chartered accountants,” he said.
Ituma also said that the institute was working assiduously to correct the erroneous impression that its examinations were difficult to pass, noting that it had intensified its enlightenment on the issue.
“ICAN is not a ‘no-go’ area because if it was, all our members couldn’t have qualified as chartered accountants who are performing credibly in various sectors of societal life.
“We all went through the examinations and passed but it is instructive to note that we do not regulate government’s procedure of employing accountants as it has its stipulated standards for employable accounting positions.
“Government is at liberty to employ our members or others who belong to other accounting bodies but what concerns us is those who practice as professional accountants in the private sector.
He said that the organisation was aware of the existence of quacks that go about preparing financial statements for companies and organisations.
“We set up a committee to investigate this development and its reports have been submitted to our national secretariat and disciplinary actions expected to be taken.
“We do not condone any form of quackery as we know our members with licensed certificates and seals to ensure that no one uses our names to prepare financial statements for organisations,” he said.
The ICAN state chairman said that the association also performed several social functions aimed at enhancing the well being of the people, especially the less-privileged in the society.
“We went to the Mile 4 hospital, Abakaliki, and the Leprosy Colony where we presented various gifts in the spirit of the season, while also organising a luncheon for our members.