There is urgent need to appoint an Auditor General, ZICA urges Government

The Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZICA) has called for the urgent appointment of the Auditor General.

Addressing a Fourth Quarter Media briefing on various national matters, ZICA President Jason Kazilimani says as a professional accountancy body, ZICA is concerned that the office of the auditor general remains unoccupied when it is a very important governance institution which should not be left unoccupied for such a long time.

Mr. Kazilimani said that ZICA was aware that the public audit act has not been operationalised and therefore a substantive auditor general has not yet been appointed, but stated that a precedent for a similar situation was set when the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly fell vacant, the clerk was appointed, while the parliamentary service commission had not yet been operationalized

Mr Kazilimani said that the same can also be done in the case of the auditor general, adding that it’s also ZICA’S considered view that the qualifications of the incumbent Auditor General should be as appropriately stipulated in the public order act of 2016.

On the re-introduction of the sales tax to replace the value added tax, Mr. Kazilimani said that there is need to take stock of how the system will be implemented with minimal interruption to business, noting that currently, there is lack of information about how it will be implemented a situation that is causing anxiety among investors.

And Mr. Kazilimani has noted the need for equivalent increase in productive assets of the economy to assist in repayment of interest obligation.

Mr. Kazilimani said that ZICA welcomes the minister of finance’s announcement that government is in the process of instituting public investment management reforms to establish a comprehensive system for appraisal of projects.

Meanwhile ZICA has welcomed the dismissal of about 12 accountants involved in misappropriation of public funds by the civil service commission.

Mr Kazilimani however noted the need for more to be done with regards recovering the stolen funds as provided for in the public finance management act of 2018.

Source: Lusaka Times