Online Reporter
Michael Tome
Business Reporter
THE Government says it will continue to deepen financial management reforms in the public and private sectors as Zimbabwe intensifies efforts to enhance accountability, transparency and efficiency in the use of public resources.
Speaking on behalf of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube, at the launch of the Accounting Technician Qualification for Africa (ATQA) in Harare on Friday, Deputy Accountant General Mr Mandivengerei Shumbaimwe said the reforms were critical for improving governance standards and supporting the country’s economic transformation agenda.
The launch, organised by the Southern African Association of Accountants (SAAA) in partnership with the Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA), was held under the theme “Building Africa’s Finance Backbone”.
The World Bank developed ATQA to help African countries build a skilled workforce of accounting technicians for both public and private sector institutions.
It has since authorised PAFA to roll out the qualification through professional accountancy organisations across the continent to deliver high-quality technician-level accounting training.
The programme is built around three key principles that include relevance, accessibility and integrity, and seeks to align accounting practice with evolving business laws, taxation frameworks, corporate governance ethics and the adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).
ATQA represents more than the launch of a new professional qualification, but a strategic investment in Africa’s human capital, institutional capacity and long-term economic future.
Minister Ncube said Zimbabwe would continue strengthening financial reporting systems, modernising financial management technologies and enhancing institutional capacities across government institutions.
He noted that the initiative aligned with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and emerging priorities under NDS2, which emphasise human capital development, innovation, productivity and skills enhancement as key drivers towards attaining upper-middle-income status.
“As a Government, Zimbabwe shall continue to prioritise financial management reforms both in the private and public sectors. These reforms aim at enhancing accountability, transparency and efficiency in the utilisation of public resources.
“These reforms include strengthening financial reporting systems, the adoption of modern financial management technologies and the enhancement of institutional capacities across government. Professional accounting technicians have an indispensable role to play in supporting these reforms,” said Minister Ncube.
Director of effectiveness at PAFA, Mrs Evelyn Mwapasa, said many African countries continue to face acute shortages of practical accounting and financial management skills at operational and foundational levels.
She said weak bookkeeping systems, inadequate internal controls, poor budgeting practices and limited cash management capacity continued to contribute to inefficiencies, resource leakages and declining public confidence in institutions across the continent.
“Yet these are precisely the skills required to support effective public financial management, transparent business operations, efficient service delivery and responsible stewardship of resources,” said Mrs Mwapasa.
She said the World Bank’s Finance and Accounting Skills for Economic Transformation (FASE) programme was established to address these gaps by developing accounting technicians equipped with practical, job-ready competencies capable of immediately strengthening organisations in both the public and private sectors.
SAAA president Tariro Bushu said Africa’s growing economies and evolving institutions require a stronger pipeline of skilled and ethical accounting professionals.
“Africa stands at a pivotal moment. Our economies are growing, our markets are expanding and our institutions are evolving. Yet one challenge remains consistent — the need for skilled, ethical and competent accounting professionals,” said Mrs Bushu.
The launch of ATQA marks a significant expansion of SAAA’s educational and professional development offerings in the region and is expected to contribute towards improving financial governance standards and strengthening institutional accountability across Africa.
