In the course of its contributions to capacity building in Nigeria, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, has made significant progress in securing the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) licence for the establishment of the ICAN University

President of ICAN, Mrs. Onome Adewuyi, revealed this at the foundation stone-laying ceremony at the University’s proposed site in Kwali, Abuja. She said “the university would start with postgraduate courses in the Social and Management Sciences such as Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, Finance etc.

The ceremony was witnessed by prominent men and women in Abuja including members from the NUC, traditional and religious leaders.

While speaking at the 67th induction ceremony of new members in Lagos, Mrs. Onome Adewuyi admonished newly inducted members, she added, “We expect that the inductees of today would continue to aspire for both professional and academic relevance in the market and I encourage you to take advantage of this window of opportunity by ICAN to add to your academic qualifications by enrolling for postgraduate courses at the proposed university in any field of interest to you.

“We also request that you would be our advocate in projecting the university, when operational, to your friends, colleagues and associates.”

Meanwhile, Adewuyi frowned at any form of professional misconduct, affirming that ICAN has appropriate disciplinary mechanisms to deal with erring members.

She stated, “We frown at any form of professional misconduct and the Institute has appropriate disciplinary mechanisms to deal with erring members.”She noted that induction into the profession, qualifies the inductees to becoming part of the over three million accountants across the world under the umbrella of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

Adewuyi said the professionals are faced with a situation that interestingly creates both threats and opportunities globally, adding that there are threats for organisations and professionals who fail to adjust to emerging developments and opportunities.

To the new members, she said: “As you begin this journey, you should set yourself apart from the masses by utilising the rich professional guidance and technical resources from the Institute and the various organisations we are affiliated with. Opportunities for knowledge transfer are now broad and the channels to quench your thirst for knowledge are now expanded.”

Katsina Governor Aminu Masari has thrown his weight behind Southern Governors on ban of open grazing, describing the practice, which encourages herders to move from one location to another as ‘’un-Islamic’’

Masari, who spoke to select reporters at Government House Katsina as part of activities to mark second year of his second term in office, argued necessary infrastructure on livestock farming should be provided in States for ranching as against open grazing.

He said: “This is something we have to do through development, provide necessary infrastructure that will make the herders not to move. Why should herders from Katsina move?

‘’The herders’ movement is essentially in search of two things: water and fodder. If we can provide these two items why should they move?

‘’This roaming about I don’t think. For us its un-Islamic and is not the best. It is part of the problem we are having today. I don’t support that we should continue with the way open grazing is’’.

On devolution of power through restructuring, he argued States urgently need resources to implement what should have been implemented at the Federal level

According to him: ‘’ I support devolution totally, the federal government is trying. But the states need to have resource to implement what should have been implemented by the Federal Government.

‘’If today the States will support the Police, the Police system will go up. If the states withdraw their support to security agencies, they won’t be able to move from here to there.

‘’So, I absolutely support devolution in totality. So as a Government of Katsina we should be allowed by the Constitution, within the Constitution to decide on many things that are peculiar to us’’.

‘’The Federal Government should have a benchmark and people should not operate beyond this mark. Lagos State is generating up toN4bn and something billion, while Katsina State is just generating N2bn.

“I expect with proper restructuring, states should own the reflective of what they earns from within their State.”

Dozens of people were missing in northwest Nigeria on Wednesday after an overloaded boat ferrying around 160 passengers sank in the Niger River, a local official said.

The boat left central Niger state and was heading to northwest Kebbi state when it split and sank, Abdullahi Buhari Wara, administrative head of Ngaski district said.

“A rescue operation is underway but only 22 survivors and one dead body have been recovered,” Wara said. “We are talking of around 140 passengers still missing.”

Boat capsizals are common on Nigerian waterways mostly due to overcrowding and lack of maintenance, particularly in the annual rainy season.

Wara blamed the Kebbi accident on  overloading as the boat was meant to ferry not more than 80 passengers.

The vessel was also loaded with bags of sand from a gold mine, the official said.

Early this month 30 people drowned when an overloaded boat capsized in central Niger state.

The boat ferrying 100 local traders split into two after hitting a stump during a storm as they were returning from a local market, according to emergency officials.