The Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) has received commendation for delisting corrupt bankers who are members of the institute. Professional groups in Nigeria have faced criticisms for allowing corrupt members to continue their membership against professional ethics.

In a statement on Thursday, Nigeria’s foremost anti-corruption group, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), said NIM has set a commendable standard. It asked other professional groups across the country to follow the NIM’s model. The group said Nigeria loses billions of dollars as fees paid to professionals by corrupt public and private officials.

“NIM has laid a good example that other professional groups need to emulate. By delisting corrupt bankers, the institute has demonstrated in the most practical terms efforts to curb corruption. It shows that NIM has credibility. It shows the institute can self-regulate itself,” HEDA Chairman, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, said in the statement.

He said all corruption cases were perpetrated with the aid of bankers and other professionals adding that if professional associations delist corrupt members, it will serve as a deterrent to others.

HEDA has in recent times organised series of anti-corruption campaign some included training for professional associations on how they can assist anti-corruption agencies to track illicit funds.

“We want to see professional organisations take a cue from NIM. We want to see the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAN), the Insurers association, the lawyers association, the Medical Association and others take firm sanctions against their members who aid corruption,” Suraju said. HEDA said transparency by members of professional bodies will help Nigeria to locate corrupt funds and nib graft in the bud.

He said when professional organizations allow their corrupt members to have a free reign, their actions would affect investment and trust of the local and international community.

“Professional groups are strategic partners in the fight against corruption. They need to live up to global best practices,” Suraju said.

The President and Chairman of NIM, Mrs Patience Anabor, on Tuesday had said that the institute delisted some bankers for their association with corrupt practices. He spoke during the inauguration of NIM members at the University of Abuja. “If we catch any corrupt member, we are at liberty to delist the member and we have done so,” the NIM president said.

Anabor said further: “If you look at the corrupt bankers that were convicted – I won’t mention names now but we delisted them. They were fellows of the institute but we sanctioned them.”

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