EXAMINATION OF THE PRE AND POST RECOGNITION OF THE COMPANY SECRETARY UNDER CAMA 2020: AN OVERWIEW OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC COMPANIES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Secretaries are confidential employees of any company and they are aware of all that goes on in any company that they are a part. Therefore, their positions in the company are crucial and critical in the light of the growing economic and commercial activities. Their position is very important because they are in charge of the company documents on behalf of the directors and the company. They are also the compliance officers with the Commission on behalf of the company. However, secretaries’ prehistoric function is that they were seen as mere servants taking up an administrative duty and orders from the directors who were their superiors. This view has changed now that the business sector, the law guiding and regulating businesses and coupled with advancement in business activities has made the office of the secretary an important position in the company. The courts and parliaments have intervened in the description of a company secretary in line with the roles they play in the day to day running of the company. The role of the company’s Secretary can be linked to the efficient functioning of the Company, particularly in an organization with few or no paid staff members. This is because they are seen now as officers of the company with a lot of responsibilities to all stakeholders and the company in general. This paper examines the pre and post recognition of the company secretary under the law. To achieve this aim, this paper examines sections 330 to 340 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020. The doctrinal method is utilized as the research methodology to achieve the aim of this paper.