Confusion has emerged as two bills seeking the establishment of two forensic institutes, with seeming same function were being considered by the House of Representatives.
While the Chattered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria establishment bill was already passed by both houses of the National Assembly, and awaiting presidential assent, a public hearing for another seeking the establishment of the Chattered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners (CIFCFEN) of Nigeria was held by the House on Thursday, sparking dispute between promoters of the two bodies.
But responding to allegations that the later bill was a duplication of that earlier passed by the National Assembly, Dr. Ilya Gashinbaki President of CIFCFEN denied any similarity between the two, stressing that his body was there to bridge the gap, since trained accountants are not fraud examiners. The training in accountancy is not sufficient enough to handle that area of forensics”, he said, adding that law enforcement agencies like theEFCC, NDIC supported the bill, and that the institute is self-funding.
On the dramatic opposing views of the Chattered Institute of Accounting (ICAN), which said the new Bill should be discarded, and Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), expressing support for its passage, Gashinbaki said ICAN members were on the board of CIFCFEN, and so to him, it was surprising to hear its representative opposing the bill.
Deputy Vice President, Dr. innocent Okwuosa, had earlier in his presentation at the hearing told lawmakers the bill will encroach on other professional bodies like ICAN and ANAN. “We want to protect forensics related to accounting, we are already practicing forensic professionally in our practice”, he insisted.
However, Preotem President of the Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria, Dr. Victoria Ayishetu (CIFIPN) argued that the provisions of the new Bill were “unnecessary duplication their own bill, which has already been passed by the National Assembly and at it is at the final stage of being sent to Mr President for Presidential Assent”
She said, “having two chartered institute of FORENSICs to regulate the practice of forensic science in the country at the same time would lead to role conflict and clash of interest. This will not augur well in the overall interest of this country”.
The hearing was organised by the House’s joint committee on anti- corruption, and Commerce, led by Hon. Shehu Garba