By CHARLES IWUOHA

Renowned accountant and financial expert, Vera Augustine, has urged Nigerian youths to work hard and avoid every avenue of ‘get-rich-quick”.

Mrs. Augustine, a global and astute banker, accountant, and transformational leader with 20 years of technical and strategic levels experience spanning across personnel consulting, banking, and oil/gas sectors, said it is disheartening that some youths nowadays involved themselves in illicit activities just to make money

Addressing newsmen recently in Abakaliki, the financial and safety expert believes that there are several ways to get rich without involving in criminal activities.

“It is sad that some youths, who are the future of this country nowadays, take solace in criminal activities just to make money under the guise of there is no job.

“The sad truth is, among the joblessness, there are millions of jobs in Nigeria. The issue of passing through shortcuts to success is becoming the order of the day in Nigeria and it is sad.

“Every day, you see on the pages of newspapers on arrest and conviction of Yahoo boys. Sadly, most of these guys are graduates.

“So, the question is, did you spend four years in school to end up as a fraudster? Our youths need to have a rethink. It is high time they realised that the future of this country lies in this hand,” the renowned banker said.

Vera is an Honorary Chartered Banker (HCIB), Certified National Accountant (CNA), Fellow Chartered Institute of Economics, Fellow Chartered Institute of Finance and Control, Member, American Society of Safety Professionals, Member, Nigeria Institute of Management and Member, Loan and Risk Management.

She is an Alumnus of Lagos State University where she obtained an MSc in Business Administration, MBA, Finance, and BSc Banking and Finance. She’s currently a Doctorate Post Graduate student of Babcock University.

She was for 16 years a Financial Professional in one of the top Financial Institution, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, before that, she worked with the defunct African Express Bank and Positive Image of London, a Personnel Consulting Firm.

For 10 years, she was part of the Management Team of First Bank driving the uncommon strategies and transformational revolution in the Bank. She served as Heads in Lagos, Abuja, and Niger Delta where she deployed her wealth of experience in a cutting-edge administrative framework for effective monitoring and enforcement of rules and regulations. She got the Nationwide Best Compliance Award in 2018 due to her credible performance.