Africa-Press – Lesotho. Lesotho Institution of Accountants (LIA) has warned government against addressing the anomalies exposed by the Auditor General’s report. In an interview with Informative Newspaper,
LIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Monyaola Mosoloane said the government must empower the Accountant General as that office deals with government’s income
and revenue on a daily basis. The Accountant-General heads the Treasury department within the Ministry of Finance. Section 95 of Treasury Regulations charges the
Accountant-General to prepare the consolidated financial statements and the former is also expected to provide technical guidance on the government’s spending units.
LIA CEO submitted that not only the Auditor General’s office be capacitated; it is equally important to capacitate the Accountant General for effective and professional handling of the governments accounts.
He said when Accountant General is LIA’s member the Institute will be able to take actions against such person in a case of misconduct. He further committed LIA’s expertise to regularly
capacitate the incumbent with the code of ethics of the profession. Mosoloane also underscored the need for the Accountant General to be part of the budget committee.
Advocating for the move to have Accountant General be anchored into the Constitution, the move which he argued that such office will enjoy more autonomy and will be insulated from undue influence as Accountant
General will be accountable to the Minister of Finance. Echoing similar sentiments, the National Reforms Authority (NRA)’s Economic Sector Committee said: “In carrying out
duties of the Accountant-General shall be free from any undue outside pressure and influence in order to objectively uphold accounting standards and best
practice. ” He said when the position of the Accountant General is statutory, the Accountant General will be able to ensure that the Ministries they keep and use the government’s finances accordingly.
The CEO further took aim in the manner in which the Accountant General is engaged, adding that unlike other highly ranking officials who are permanent and pensionable the former is only afforded three
years contract. He said the process of engaging the Accountant General should be professional and merit-based. He said the Accountant General must be a member of the
LIA, adding that the institute will from time to time capacitate the incumbent with tools of trade and code of conduct and ethics of the profession. Mosoloane
also weighed in on the NRA’s Economic Sector Committee recommendation that the Accountant General be anchored in the Constitution, the issue which was hotly
debated by the house and the members had divergent opinion on it. The Committee recommends that the Accountant-General be appointed by the King on advice of the Prime Minister “through a transparent process” with
recommendation made by the Public Service Commission. According to the Committee’s submissions the Accountant General will be engaged for five years, and such contract may be renewed upon satisfactory performance for a three year
period. The NRA plenary did not adopt the Economic Sector Technical Committee on the Accountant General telling the report to go back and submit the benchmarking and consultation report.
Meanwhile the NRA Chairperson Chief Pelele Letsoela told the NRA Plenary last week that the Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro said to him that the Accountant General office is a “no go area”. LIA was established by the Accountants Act, 1997. It is the regulator of the accountancy profession in Lesotho.
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