Secretaries, registrars seek robust capital market for economic prosperity

THE need for company secretaries and registrars to establish formidable partnership to boost investors’ confidence through sound corporate governance practice and improved investors’ engagement has been stressed.

In collaboration with other market players, the capital market operators argued that effective partnership between company secretaries and registrars will play a significant role in ensuring that listed companies are more compliant, profitable and transparent.

This was stated at the 2018 company secretaries and registrars’ forum organised by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) recently, which had, ‘Company Secretaries and Registrars: A Functional Partnership for Capital Market Development’ as a theme.

Registrar, ICSAN, Nkechi Onyenso, said the forum was facilitated by seasoned technocrats and experienced practitioners was conceived as an avenue for exposimg participants to modern day practices, and practical solution to problems associated with company secretarial practices and related issues.

She added that the theme showed the tendency of the Institute to always engage contemporary issues with a view to aggregating positive and pragmatic views for national growth and development.

A communiqué issued at the end of the programme recommended that corporate governance has been shown to foster enhanced corporate productivity, profitability and sustainability, therefore the passion to entrench corporate governance culture and practices should be a driving force in the discharge of the professional duties of company secretaries and registrars.

It posited that these professionals, with other industry players, should intensify efforts to build a robust capital market capable of supporting the economy for sustainable growth, explaining that company secretaries and registrars should form a formidable partnership to achieve development of the nation’s capital markets and the enhancement of the country’s economic prosperity.

It added that all the key participants in the capital market framework like the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), Company secretaries, registrars, stock brokers and issuing houses among others should imbibe the essence of fair, ethical and professional dealings to make the capital market more attractive to investors and beneficial to the system.