The Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN) has sworn in its 11th National President and head of the Executive Council, Mrs. Hilda Ofure Ozoh.
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At the investiture, which was held at MUSON Centre in Lagos, the First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Ibijioke Sanwo-Olu, congratulated the new administration while charging them to live up to their duties and the demands of the noble profession.
“Your dedication, skills and unwavering commitment to excellence will definitely pave the way for future generations of women in the accounting field.
“In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, your role as women accountants is more crucial than ever. You all possess the power to drive positive change, promote transparency and ensure financial integrity. You must continue to invest in professional development, mentorship and support, and advocating for gender equality in the workplace.
“Additionally, you should encourage young girls to pursue careers in accounting, providing them with the guidance and resources they need, such that this institute can continue to exist and wax strongly,” she added.
In her speech, Ozoh promised that the new leadership of the organisation would deliver on its mandate to improve and upskill chartered female accountants to operate at maximum capacity in their various fields.
She noted that sustaining the SWAN legacy of impact would form the fulcrum of the administration. She added: “We would leverage the rich legacies left by past leadership of the society to consolidate the promotion of accountability and transparency in the economy.
“We shall put in the front burner the priorities of female chartered accountants in Nigeria and develop initiatives that would attract more females into the noble accounting profession.
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“The new paradigm occasioned by technological, economic and social disruptions has forced entities and humanity as a whole to rethink our value systems and propositions. We have been challenged in many ways and most formerly embraced business models have been jettisoned to give room for a new way of doing things.
“These are peculiar times and there is the need for us as an association to constantly align ourselves with the new developments. Our pledge of commitment is to ensure that all SWAN members are equipped with the information and skills required to successfully navigate this unique time in history.”
She further noted that its core mandate and projects include career talks for secondary schools to sensitise senior students on ICAN ATSWA Exams; equipping school libraries; award of scholarships to indigent students in tertiary institutions nationwide; organising seminars on sexual harassment; charity visitations to old people’s homes/orphanages and hospitals; health talks and open day programmes for students to catch them young.
She stressed that with women being invaluable assets contributing to the growth of families, institutions, corporate organisations and the nation, her administration would focus on effectively equipping female chartered accountants to be relevant and indispensable in their various sectors, which will be achieved through the establishment of a SWAN academy.
“The SWAN academy will be a virtual training school for both young and experienced female chartered accountants to help them upskill their knowledge in their areas of interests with focus on work-life balance. There will also be continuous entrepreneurial training and partnering with financial institutions through their gender help desks,” she added.
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