ACCA Botswana Seeks To 'Convert' Professional Accountants

NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent | Monday September 20, 2010 00:00

It is estimated that only 30 percent of the demand for accountants is currently met, the majority of which are expatriates.

ACCA Botswana has now embarked on a number of projects that will at once uplift and maintain the good name of the profession and encourage new members to join as soon as they complete their studies.

Speaking at the gala dinner and dance, the Chairman of ACCA Botswana's network panel, Ludza Makubate, said the organisation had several activities lined up for reaching as many members as possible.

He said they had had more member-oriented activities this year, among them a luncheon to welcome people who had obtained membership in the previous 12 months.

However, Makubate said they faced challenges in recruiting new members because not everyone converted to full membership on completion due to one reason or another. 'We hope those who complete their exams will convert to full membership sooner rather than later,' he said.

The Governor of the Bank of Botswana (BoB), who was the guest of honour, acknowledged that Botswana had a huge deficit of accountants. Linah Mohohlo said this could constrain business performance and deprive the country's economy, among other things.

Mohohlo said in order to sustain the country's economic diversification and relatively high economic growth rate, accountants were essential for guidance in business governance, ethics, strategy and planning.

'It is my hope that steps will be taken to redress the situation and this could include deliberate public policy intervention,' she said.

Among ACCA Botswana's other prominent guests was the Director of ACCA Sub-Saharan Africa Jamil Ampomah, former F4 examiner Professor Kiggundu, former F4 moderator Andrew Briscoe, and the chief and deputy invigilators of ACCA Botswana's Gaborone Examinations Centre.

The gala was sponsored by Ernst and Young, Alliant CPA, Sefalana Holdings, Air Botswana, Mugg and Bean, Metcourt Inn, Cresta Lodge and Linga Longa.