Members of the Association of Outsourcing Professionals (AOPN) have charted a path for achieving a prosperous outsourcing sector. They argued that for the sector to achieve success, proper business and legal structures must be put in place.
  
Chairman, Planet Governance Advisory Limited, Dr. Nosike Agokei, said this at the eight edition of the investiture of fellows and induction of new members of the AOPN, where he spoke on the theme ‘Business and Legal Structures for Outsourcing Success.’
  
While giving an overview of what outsourcing is, Agokei said issues such as business, strategic and succession plans, among others, were pertinent issues that must be given critical attention. 
  
On the business structure, he said, referred to the legal structure of the organisation that is recognised in a given jurisdiction. According to him, an organisation’s legal structure is a key determinant of the activities that it can undertake, such as raising capital and responsibility for obligations of the business, as well as the amount of taxes that the organisation will pay to tax authorities. 
  
However, before choosing the type of legal structure, Agokei advised that business owners should first consider their needs, goals and also understand the features of each business structure. 
  
Regardless of what business model you want to undertake, he advised that it was important to legalise an outsourcing company, set up an organisational structure and adhere to practices of good corporate governance. 

Failure to do that, he said, would lead to consequences of organisational failure, loss of investment, loss of jobs/incomes and loss of reputation, among others. 
  
For effective duties of directors, Agokei advised that they must obey relevant laws and regulations, the duty to act within the powers, the duty to promote the success of the company and the duty not to accept secret benefits.

Earlier, AOPN President, Dr. Obiora Madu, who commended the newly inducted members and fellows, urged them to be of good reputation to the association, holding ethics and integrity as their watchwords.

He said the theme of the investiture was apt, as it takes outsourcing professionals on a better path to prosperity and how to get out of trouble. 

On challenges in the sector, he spoke on the need to still create more awareness, especially in government for effective service delivery. On the ‘japa syndrome’, especially in the banking sector, where the body has more outsourced staff, he said: “On the japa syndrome it is on banks, we should expect outsourcing going up. The higher you go, the more money you make as you will go into more knowledge outsourcing. A lot of companies will pounce into outsourcing to be able to fill up the positions.”