CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND FINANCIAL REPORTING IN NIGERIAN BANKING INDUSTRY

CHAPTER ONE

1.1

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 
With the increasing dynamism and complexity of modern business operations, coupled with the ever-present accounting scandals of high profits companies such as Cadbury plc and Enronlinc have questioned the effectiveness of corporate governance mechanism and the quality of financial reports and the credibility of audit functions.
Since ownership is separated from in their own interest, rather than the interest of shareholders whom they represent. They could manipulate financial statements, giving investors misleading impression about the financial position of the corporation. As a result, financial reports in most cases, do not reflect the true and fair position of the corporation.
Therefore. The need for accurate, reliable, timely and accessible financial reports is imperative in order to maintain corporate accountability so as to achieve organizational goals and quick decision making.

1.3     OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 
The followings are the purpose of the study:

1. To establish the relationship that exist between corporate governance and financial reporting
2. To establish the relationship between management and shareholders’ interests.
3. To ensure that the financial reports in most cases reflect the true and fair position of the corporate.
4. To enhance the need for accurate, reliable, timely and accessible financial reports necessary for corporate accountability so as to achieve organizational goals and quick decision making.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS 
Olannye, (2006) defined research questions as the major questions to which the researcher seeks to provide answers to, in the course of the investigation. It is for this reason that this research is being designed to provide answers to the following research questions:

1. What are the relationship that exist between corporate governance and financial reporting?
2. What are the relationship between directors’ and shareholders’ interests?
3. How does corporate governance influence financial reporting?
4. Does accurate corporate accountability affects organizational goals and quick decision making?

1.5     RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS 
Hypotheses are tentative statement about expected relationship(s) between independent and dependent variables (Olannye, 2006). In order to successfully find solution to the problem of the study, some tentative statements known as research hypothesis had been formulated. They include the following:
1.       Ho1:  There is no significant relationship between corporate governance and financial reporting. 
2.       Ho2:  Corporate governance does not enhance management and shareholders relationship through transparency and accountability.
3.       Ho3:  Financial reports are not used for quick decision making

1.6     SCOPE OF THE STUDY 
The scope of this research work on corporate governance and financial reporting in the Nigerian Banking Industry is to provide the reader with a detailed understanding of the relationship between corporate governance and financial reporting.
In the same vein, in attempting to resolve the statement of research problems, I shall deal with the relationship that exist between the management of corporations and their shareholders. In a bid to ensure that the financial statement prepared by the directors reflects a true and fair view of the financial position of the corporation, so as to achieve maximum organizational goals and quick decision making.