Accountants ask for inclusion in PDM programme
Members of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda have a photo moment with other participants during the C-suite forum in Kampala yesterday. Photo/Dorothy Nagitta
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The accountants said some government projects lack professional accountants, adding that these can help shed light on the activities taking place with the various projects
The president of Pan African Federation of Accountants, Ms Keto Kayemba, has asked the government to recruit accountants in poverty alleviation programmes such as the Parish Development Model in order to increase transparency.
The accountants said some government projects lack professional accountants, adding that these can help shed light on the activities taking place with the various projects.
“Currently, the government has Saccos, PDM and a lot of money has been put there. So, if you want a lot to come out of this money or if you want to achieve the outcome which is increasing households’ income, it is very important to involve the accountants,” Ms Kayembe said during the C-suite forum organised by the Institute of Public Accountants of Uganda in Kampala yesterday.
Several poverty alleviation programmes have been introduced such as the Rural Farmers Scheme, Entandikwa, Bona Bagaggawale, the Youth Capital Venture that later became Youth Livelihood Programme, and Emyooga, among others.
However, most of these programmes have registered little to no success mainly attributed to institutionalised corruption entrenched in government.
There are 300 professional accountants in Uganda and 123,000 on the African continent, serving a population of 1.3 billion people.
Ms Kayemba said there is a need to increase the number of accountants in the country.
“It is important that this number is increased to a number which can support development. It is also important that the government and other stakeholders look at how we can support the accounting profession because the role that it plays in ensuring that we develop faster is so great,” she said.
Mr Derrick Nkajja, the chief executive officer of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU), called for the amendment of the Accountants’ Act to enable the profession to do its work better.
He said every board in all institutions should have a professional accountant when making decisions.
“Our inaction slows the economy of Uganda, but I think there should be an enabling environment through a law that compels you to do the right thing,” he said.
