Botswana is still grappling with a persistent acute shortage of Chartered Accountants.
According to Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA)’s Public Relations and Marketing Manager, Oupa Gaofise, of the 3 136 registered members, only 1 223 are accounting professionals while 1 913 are Accounting Technicians.
Speaking at a breakfast session at Adansonia Hotel in Francistown on Tuesday, Gaofise said even more worrying is that the country still relies heavily on expatriates for accounting services.
“We still import accountants and this can’t be good,” said Gaofise.
He said they are worried as BICA hence they are the ones directly involved with the issuance of residence and work permits of expatriate Chartered Accountants.
“Immigration officials consult us and we clear these individuals to be given work permits,” he said.
Gaofise said BICA have come up with initiatives to lure locals into the profession.
He said their efforts face challenges due to qualified professionals who leave the country for greener pastures abroad.
“The BICA Qualification is one such initiative in which we encourage more professionals to study for this qualification and register with us,” Gaofise said.
BICA introduced its own professional accountancy qualification following the passing of the Accountancy Act in 2010.
This, according to Gaofise, was after the realisation that the economy needed a strong accountancy profession.
“BICA entered into a twinning arrangement with one of the world’s leading professional bodies, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), to facilitate the development of the BICA qualification,” he said.
He said the arrangement signed in 2015 enables dual membership on both bodies and therefore international recognition and portability to the qualification.
He further said registering with BICA is important as it enables them to protect the public interest by ensuring that highest standards are observed.
Read more on: https://thevoicebw.com/acute-shortage-accountants-bica/