Accountants cautioned on professionalism for effective service delivery
Mar 22, 2024
According to Kayemba, ethical standards are vital in the accounting profession adding that the IESBA code of ethics sets out fundamental principles reflecting the profession's recognition of its public interest responsibility.
Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of ICPAU Derick Nkajja during the conference. (Courtesy photos)
Simon Okitela
Journalist @New Vision
__________________ Participants at the ongoing at 2nd PFM Conference in Jinja
Accounting professionals in the country have been advised to exhibit professionalism, trust, and good ethical conduct while executing duties in various private and public institutions they operate.
The caution was made by the President of the Pan-African Foundation of Accountants (PAFA) Keto Kayemba during the official opening of a three-day, 2nd Public Finance Management (PFM) conference at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja.
According to Kayemba, ethical standards are vital in the accounting profession adding that the IESBA code of ethics sets out fundamental principles reflecting the profession's recognition of its public interest responsibility.
“The accounting profession has principles such as integrity, objectivity, professional competence, due care, confidentiality, and professional behavior among others. All these must be respected to the dot and remember accounts provide essential services in driving economic growth,” Kayemba noted.
CPA Ronald Mutumba the Vice President of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU) outlined the limited professional certified accountants in the country as one of the challenges currently faced.
“As an Institute, we are doing all it takes but we require continued support to ensure that we have more certified accountants going through the mainstream education and joining the profession through the training sessions and eventually certification,” Mutumba added.
Prof. Vincent Bagiire the Dean for the faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at Makerere University Business School (MUBS) urged accountants to provide tangible service delivery.
He cited instances where professional accountants have been indicted in cases of corruption and poor management in some of the areas they operate in.
Prof. Bagiire further gave participants three action points including addressing behavioral aspects of public finance, to catalyze management and also enhance continuous professional development.
The Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of ICPAU Derick Nkajja asked the accountants to enroll in the ICPAU Benevolent Fund so that they can access financial assistance.
The resolutions from the conference will be submitted to the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development for consideration in the National Plans and Budgets.
The conference is running under the theme "Public Finance Management for Enhanced Service Delivery" and is designed to examine relevant actions for improving Public Finance Management systems for service delivery.
ICPAU has selected an engrossing range of topics intended to contribute to the enhancement of a sound PFM that is crucial for service delivery to the citizenry.
These include Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (IFMIS): Flagship for Accountability & Transparency, Stakeholder Involvement and Public Accountability in Municipal Local Governments, Forensic Audits: Lessons and Experiences, and Balancing Work and Personal Business among others.
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