By Chesa Chesa
Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured that the Federal Government will engage relevant stakeholders to accelerate the passage of a bill seeking to expand the mandate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, currently before the National Assembly.
The Vice President gave the assurance on Friday when a delegation of ICSAN, led by its 30th President and Chairman of Governing Council, Mrs. Uto Ukpanah, paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the Office of the Vice President and signed by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, the proposed legislation seeks to rename the institute and broaden its scope beyond traditional secretarial functions in line with modern governance practices.
Shettima commended ICSAN on its 60th anniversary, describing the milestone as a celebration of six decades of professionalism, integrity, and institutional contribution to governance in Nigeria.
“You have earned it, and the nation is better for the work you have done. You are truly a consequential organisation, and even the calibre of people who were part of your history did their best for the nation,” he said.
The Vice President assured the delegation that the administration of President Bola Tinubu would support efforts to ensure swift passage of the Chartered Governance Institute of Nigeria (CGIN) Bill.
“Collectively, we will pull out all the plugs and reach out to major stakeholders to ensure that we fast-track the passage of the amendment bill so that you can operate at a much higher pedestal than you are now,” Shettima stated.
He also advised the institute to consider maximising its property assets for sustainability, noting the importance of income-generating ventures alongside its planned headquarters project.
“Once you become a chartered institute, the expectations on you will skyrocket. Be rest assured that I am fully onboard and that we will support you in whatever way we can,” he added.
Mrs. Ukpanah had thanked the Vice President for receiving the delegation, noting that ICSAN has spent 60 years promoting governance standards across both the public and private sectors.
