The Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) has described the move by the National Assembly to establish the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Auditors of Nigeria (CIFIAN) as suspicious and a violation of the rights of professionals in the country.
It would be recalled that the Institute Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN) kicked against federal lawmakers’ consideration of the bill.
But CIFIAN fired back and accused ICAN of planning to scuttle establishment of the institute.
Protem President of CIFIAN, Dr Victoria Enape, described ICAN’s continual attempts to frustrate the bill as an act of “parochial interest”.
On Friday, while reacting to the second and third readings at the House of Representatives in May 21, APBN President and Chairman of Board and Council, Engr. (Chief) Olumuyiwa Alade Ajibola, stated that the urgency with which the bill was being pushed in the House, raised much suspicion.
Ajibola, in a statement, said “If passed, the bill will impair the ability of any qualified expert who is well grounded with knowledge and professional tools to participate in Forensic and Investigative matters, despite the fact that the powers to do so belong to the specialized profession.”
He warned that the establishment will at the best create confusion and confuse any genuine Investigative effort.
“The basis of this extra-ordinary urgency in processing this bill is anything but suspicious. Each professional body is reminded to note that the passage will neither be in its interest nor in that of the general public.
“Sections 9 and 10 of this bill show that there is no identifiable and recognized University learning curriculum for the acquisition of the knowledge being proposed to be ware-housed in this institution.
“Thus, it can only result in unfair usurpation of the rights of the existing professions,” the APBN boss stated.
While calling members of the association to resist the ‘spurious’ and ‘baseless’ institute, Ajibola argued that the body being created would only infringe on the rights of existing professional bodies when passed into law.
