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THE Chartered Governance and Accounting Institute (CGAI) in Zimbabwe has officially opened its branch in Bulawayo for the first time in 52 years as it decentralises its services in line with the Government’s devolution agenda.
The new Bulawayo branch was officially launched on Thursday evening during a colorful ceremony that was attended by senior Government officials, local authorities, industry and commerce representatives, and individual business leaders, among others.
Formerly known as the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in Zimbabwe, the institute’s main thrust, besides professional accountancy, is enhancing good corporate governance, which cuts across all business and non-business transactions.
Its operations buttress the Second Republic’s efforts to deter corruption by producing upright professionals across the spectrum, which has resulted in the establishment of the Corporate Governance Unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
Guest of honour at the event, Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Development Minister, Judith Ncube, who was represented by the permanent secretary, Dr Paul Nyoni, said the decentralisation of CGAI was critical in assisting Bulawayo’s contribution to the attainment of Government’s Vision 2030, which demands higher integrity from both public and private sectors.
She hoped the institute will scale up partnerships with key Government arms in the province such as the police and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission in capacity building, which will weed out corrupt tendencies.
“In line with the Government’s thrust of devolution, we are pleased that the institute has followed suit and decentralised to Bulawayo Metropolitan Province.
“This is certainly a welcome gesture. As a province, we are revising our industry and we hope the institute will assist entrepreneurs to build and grow their businesses,” said Minister Ncube in her official launch speech.
Given the city’s thriving small to medium-enterprise sector, Ncube challenged CGAI to play a key role in training and mentoring SMEs to achieve excellency that will lead to formalisation of their businesses.
“The SMEs need to put systems in place and be able to access finance and attract capital. It is such organisations that can augment Government ministries’ efforts of ensuring compliance to laws and regulations,” she said,
Minister Ncube pledged Government support to ensure the institute thrives in Bulawayo and challenged it to work closely with local universities and colleges to rope in students in corporate governance issues while calling on the Bulawayo business community to also work with the organisation.
CGAI president, Mr Jonathan Dube, said his organisation was determined to serve Bulawayo and impact positively on its development transformation. Unlike in the past when they were only based in Harare, he said the organisation has heeded the call to decentralise its services.
CGAI chief executive officer, Dr Lovemore Gomera, said their decentralisation was inspired by President Mnangagwa’s challenge during their 50th anniversary in Victoria Falls in 2021. At that event, he said the President directed them to play their part to ensure the fulfilment of the national vision and successful implementation of Government blueprints.
derick.khumalo