Accountants cautioned against greed, quick money

The First Deputy Katikkiro of Buganda, Twaha Kaawaase, has implored accountants to refrain from greedy tendencies of wanting quick money in an ugly way which he said has tainted the image of the profession in the country.

Kaawaase made the remarks as the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU) launched the 2022 students’ scholarship programme in a function held at Protea Hotel Kampala Skyz on Tuesday.

A distinguished accountant, Kaawaase explained that it will always take time for one to generate wealth which he said comes with a lot of patience, hard work, discipline and professionalism.

"Be patient, don’t be greedy. We were the first people to be awarded with a degree [in accounting] in 1987. It has been that long. So when you see me with a nice watch, driving a good car, it has been 34 years of [hustle]. It has been a long time. But you young guys, you want to get rich quick, believe me you will go to  jail," he warned.

He said in life any human being with vision to be accomplished will always encounter numerous challenges along his or her way but how those challenges are handled is very important and determines how one’s future will be.

"If you see an opportunity, take it, however don’t rush, you will regret. Be patient, stay focused, know what you want to be in life. We have a very good profession which guides us on how to remain an accountant. We have a code of ethics, stick to that you are good to go,” he advised.

Othieno Mayende, the president of ICPAU told the Nile Post that when they launched the student scholarship Programme in 2019, their goal was to nurture talent among the young people, by providing an opportunity to pursue the CPA course.

"The scholarship programme is important to us because it is one of the avenues through which the Institute can increase the pool of CPAs in our bid to promote professionalism in accountancy and the Country at large," he said.