Weak Finance and Accounting systems could undermine good governance, a Professor of Accounting, ThankGod Agwor has posited.
Prof. Agwor stated this on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 during the 126th Inaugural Lecture of the Rivers State University (RSU) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He, therefore, advised government at all levels to recognise that Accounting and Finance are not peripheral technicalities, rather they are the infrastructure of governance.
“Accounting and Finance are not neutral technical tools, they are governance technologies that structure incentives, define transparency and mediate trust in the state.”
“Where these tools are weak, compromised and technologically manipulated, governance failure becomes systemic rather than episodic.”
“Where they are strong, governance is resilient. Where they are weak, governance fails and failure becomes governance.”
He explained that budgeting remains an integral part of governance as governments do not fail in abstraction but through a lack of concrete systems of budgeting and auditing, amongst others.
The inaugural lecturer pointed out that crisis in the nation’s governance system cannot be remedied with the absence of a nexus between Accounting and Finance systems being at the center.
Prof. Agwor, an expert in Accounting, Auditing, Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Accounting, Internal he Audit, Business Organization, and Accounting Research later granted an interview to Kristina Reports shortly after the inaugural lecture.
He cited cases where budgeting and financial intelligence were not at the forefront of governance and the attendant repercussions, pointing out that the masses always bear the brunt of such unwise decision.
“We need to have a reorientation; Government needs to be particular about meritocracy.”
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi expressed his opinion on the theme: ‘Failure of Governance and Governance of Failure in Nigeria: Unveiling the Accounting-Finance Nexus’, noting that one of the challenges is the inability of government to meet the needs of the masses.
Professor Zeb-Obipi recommended that the use of empirical and secular evidence should come to play where Accounting and Finance have affiliates in governance.
“My take is that the nexus of Accounting and Finance is defined by the fact that while Accounting provides the figure, Finance uses these figures to make strategic decisions.”
He encouraged government to pay attention to this relationship in the political governance.