Agency Reporter

The Association of Professional Bodies in Nigeria (APBN) has urged government at all levels to engage the services of indigenous professionals in resolving the challenges presently confronting the country.

The APBN which is the umbrella body for all professional bodies and associations said core professionals in the country are under utilized, stressing that Nigeria can quickly exit the current economic recession and other challenges confronting the country if harness the abundant talents of local professionals.

Speaking to journalists during his investiture as the 17th President of the APBN, Surv. Akinloye Olufemi Oyegbola said the Body is seeking further cooperation with government to proffer solutions to the myriads of challenges confronting the country.

He said, “Irrespective of what we have on ground in terms of economy, the professionals in any country will always be there in trying to make things work.

We on our own have taken up the challenge. All we are looking forward to is for the government to do the needful. And what do I mean by that? It is for the government to actually acknowledge that it is the professionals that will do the speed work for us to develop. We are doing the advocacy on that, so that the government at different tiers will know that there is no other way out of the current challenges.

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“That’s not to say we have not been having that interaction but what we have on ground is not good enough for what we need to achieve. We need to really harness the resources in a manner that we don’t need to leave any loopholes or leakages and we cant afford to give excuses the way things are now. And we believe that since we are not ready to relent, somewhere down the line, we will get to the promise land.

“We are saying the level at which the involvement is now could be better. We believe that we will continue to seek that cooperation and collaboration and we will get there.”

Ayegbola however, cautioned that it is not just about engaging any professional, but ensure that the real professionals who have affiliations to their professional bodies so that they can be held to account in their ethical conduct.

He said, “it is not just using the professionals but you have to use them at the level that you can get back to them so that whatever they are doing, there’s no infractions on the ethics of that particular profession.”

In his address, the guest speaker, the director general of NIPSS, Habu Galadima Nigeria is not lacking quality professionals that can offer solutions

Galadima who was represented by a director at the Institute, Prof Mamman Gambo said, “given the diversity of professionals, if we can aggregate this talents we can overcome some of the challenges we face in this country.”

He lamented that the collapse of our value system as a people has led to the challenges and instability in the country, saying professionals at all levels have key roles to play in bringing back that value system

The president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Dame Gladys Olajumoke Simplice while also speaking to journalists said the APBN is like a rallying point for all professionals in Nigeria.

She said, “I believe that APBN if properly nurtured can be that focal point where even when International associations need professionals in Nigeria they can contact APBN. What do I mean by that? APBN should have the data of all professional bodies that are its members. For example if an architect in England need to do architectural practice in Nigeria, they can call APBN to recommend. What does that mean? It gives credence to the character of the person and because that person is being recommended by APBN, it’s a sure guarantee that that person will not disappoint.”