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Financial Reporting and Ethics - The Institute of Chartered ...

Financial Reporting and Ethics - The Institute of Chartered ...

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FINANCIAL REPORTING AND ETHICSresembles a deontological principle - the issue <strong>of</strong> obligation or duty. <strong>The</strong>principle <strong>of</strong> objectivity evokes the challenge to be impartial, to displayintellectual integrity in reporting <strong>and</strong> which is devoid <strong>of</strong> conflicts <strong>of</strong> interest.In order to safeguard independence, there has to be preclusion <strong>of</strong> relationshipswhich may hinder objectivity in rendering services <strong>of</strong> attestation.6.5 THE FOUNDATION OF THE ACCOUNTING PROFESSION<strong>The</strong> accountant holds a fiduciary position; he is an agent <strong>of</strong> his employers orclients. <strong>The</strong> foundation <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>ession therefore is trust. Shareholders basetheir assessment <strong>of</strong> the financial reality <strong>and</strong> performance <strong>of</strong> their company onthe report <strong>of</strong> the external auditors. Potentials investors also would rely on thereports <strong>of</strong> auditors to make huge investment decisions. In all <strong>of</strong> these, for theaccountant to enjoy continuous confidence <strong>and</strong> trust, he must at all timemaintain high ethical st<strong>and</strong>ard in his job.Suffice it therefore to say that, the value <strong>of</strong> the accounting pr<strong>of</strong>ession can onlybe main through a sound underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>and</strong> application <strong>of</strong> ethical principles.6.6 ETHICS AND THE PROFESSIONA pr<strong>of</strong>ession is not a mere vocation or occupation. It is a specialized area <strong>of</strong>training, skills acquisition <strong>and</strong> knowledge attainment which makes a personan expert in the field. <strong>The</strong> characteristics <strong>of</strong> a pr<strong>of</strong>ession include the following:(a) Having to undergo an educational process where discrete <strong>and</strong> edifyingbody <strong>of</strong> knowledge is acquired, most <strong>of</strong> the time with having to passexaminations;(b) <strong>The</strong> need to be a member <strong>of</strong> a pr<strong>of</strong>essional association <strong>and</strong> licensed topractice;(c) <strong>The</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>ession should have a code <strong>of</strong> ethics <strong>and</strong> a set <strong>of</strong> technicalst<strong>and</strong>ards; <strong>and</strong>(d) <strong>The</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>ession owes the larger society a lot <strong>of</strong> social <strong>and</strong> moralobligations.6.6.1 <strong>Ethics</strong> <strong>and</strong> the Pr<strong>of</strong>essional AccountantIn the performance <strong>of</strong> his pr<strong>of</strong>essional duties, a chartered accountantshould comply with the ethical stipulations <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Chartered</strong>Accountants <strong>of</strong> Nigeria <strong>and</strong> those <strong>of</strong> International Federation <strong>of</strong>Accountants. A serious issue <strong>of</strong> reference is the International St<strong>and</strong>ardon Auditing No. 200 which carries the title “Objectives <strong>and</strong> GeneralPrinciples <strong>of</strong> Audit”. It stipulates that “in the conduct <strong>of</strong> any audit <strong>of</strong>financial statements, auditors should comply with the ethical guidanceissued by their relevant pr<strong>of</strong>essional bodies.”132

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