If Malawi is to remain steady on her road to development and implementation of the MW2063 development blue print, the country needs Accountants who are gatekeepers of resources and not conduits of fraud and corruption.
Vice President Saulos Chilima made the remarks on Thursday in Mangochi when he delivered an opening statement at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Malawi (ICAM) conference.
“If Accountants are not the forefront safeguarding our economy, then who will?
Procrastination is the thief of time. Rise and defend the noble profession today
and not tomorrow,” Chilima said.
The Vice President said a nation that has no semblance of discipline is on the verge of collapse.
The veep further appealed to the Accountants to familiarize with the MW2063, saying they were a crucial stakeholder group to the implementation of the development – starting with the first 10 year plan that is underway.
“As people entrusted with managing resources of this country, you are very
big part and at the heart of the success of the implementation of the MW2063,” he said.
He said for instance, if the country does not have Accountants well versed in Mining –
which is one of the pillars in the MW2063 – Malawi may end up seeing a flood of expatriate Accountants in our
Mining sector.
“Rebuilding our economy ought to be championed by the Accountants of this country. And the Accountants of this country are here. In this room,” he said.
speaking earlier both ICAM President Phyles Kachingwe and the Chief Executive Officer Francis Chinjoka Gondwe said the institute will pursue discipline issues seriously and will continue meting punishment on errand Accountants.
The three day conference has lined up a number of influential speakers including revered Economist Associate Prof. Ronald Mangani who once served as Secretary to the Treasury and was recently once of the 15 member team that Chilima assembled to overhaul the public service whose report government is yet to make public.