CHOOSING ACCOUNTANCY AS A PROFESSION

 

Accountancy in recent time can be defined as the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authority and others make decisions about allocating resources. Therefore an Accountant is a practitioner of the above functions

Accountancy had evolved over the years from the practice of book keeping to more advancing roles In investment decision, capital sourcing and gearing and preparation of financial statement et al for the consumption of stakeholders. Accountants have been in demand and will continue to be even in the nearest future because of the important roles they play both in the micro and macro economies.

The prospect for qualified accountants is very bright in all areas of the nation’s economy e.g  banking, agriculture, insurance etc with good remuneration , including fringe benefits. The dynamic nature of this profession makes it imperative for every reputable firm to have competent and qualified accountant  in their employ for proper management of their businesses.

Their expertise in all round financial matters is acknowledged and cannot be over emphasized. Because of the very important roles Accountants play, it will be imperative to say that would- be practitioners are well armed with the requisite skills to be able to perform at their topmost levels especially in a rapidly changing financial environment of the world.

To be a well versed Accountant, one will need to pass through different stages of examination organized by a body vested with the powers to certify that one is ready to perform advanced functions in accountancy, that is one has become a professional .

 In Nigeria, one of the bodies vested with such powers is the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria ( ICAN). With over 40 years of regulating the Accountancy profession in the country and having produced over 36,000 Chartered Accountants in the country till date, this body is qualified for this process. It has other functions like setting up the rules and regulations for those who will become Accountants in the country, regulating the conditions for the practice of accountancy and promoting the ethics of the promotion and the disciplining erring members of the profession.

 There are also other professional bodies like The Association of National Accountants of Nigeria(ANAN), Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria (ICPAN) and so many others, which are also contributing to the growth of the Accountancy  Profession in the country,  the choice of which depend on individual preferences.