The Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) has urged leaders at national and business circles to embrace the ethics of corporate governance, to surmount challenges facing the nation.
Prof. Emeritus, Munzali Jibril, President, NIM, disclosed this at a news conference on Wednesday in Lagos to announce its 2017 Annual National Management Conference (ANMC).
Reports show that the 2017 conference has the theme “Corporate Governance and Institutional Performance’’.
Jibril said that the ANMC was one of the institute’s numerous contributions to nation building, providing a robust platform to brainstorm on burning governance and leadership issues of national importance.
The president noted that NIM was concerned that most of the sleazy and unethical practices being witnessed in the country in recent time were due to scant regard for corporate governance.
He added that some poorly performing and failed businesses in both the private and public sectors failed because of their noncompliance with the tenets and ideals of corporate governance.
He defined corporate governance as the system of rules, practices and processes by which a company or a country was directed and controlled.
“This essentially involves balancing the interests of a company’s many stakeholders such as shareholders, management, customers, suppliers, financiers, government and the community.
“Corporate governance is intended to increase accountability and to avoid massive disasters before they occur.
“Well executed corporate governance should be similar to an efficient internal audit unit which detects potential financial irregularities and stops them from being actualised,’’ Jibril said.
The president said that both the private and public sectors were guilty of flouting the principles of corporate governance in their dealings.
He explained that the 2017 conference, which would be declared open in Abuja, would be a gathering of the highest number of professional managers under one roof.
Reports indicate that the conference, slated for Sept. 17 and 19, would have its keynote address delivered by a former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
