Accra, Dec. 15, GNA - The Principal of the Institute of Accountancy Training, Mr Theophilus Hanson at the weekend deplored the discrimination in job placement against graduates of the Institute at various work places within the public service, saying it was killing morale of the students.

He said graduates who had successfully completed the three-year Diploma course in Public Finance and Accountancy were either poorly placed on the scheme of service for civil and public services or told by their superiors that they did not know where to place them.

"It is quite discouraging and a disincentive to sacrifice to study for three good years only to return to the workplace to be told, "We don't know where to place you," the Principal said at the eighth graduation ceremony of the Institute in Accra.

The Institute, one of the human resources development arms of the Ministry of Finance, was established in 1970 to help train middle level professionals for the civil and public services in financial management. He said it was surprising that public officials who guaranteed or sponsored the students from the work place were usually the ones who put them under a lot of stress after they had finished the course. Consequently workers had turned away from qualifying in public accountancy and rather preferred commercial accountancy.

Mr Hanson appealed to the Ministry of Finance and the Governing Council of the Institute to meet with the Public Services Commission and Heads of Departments of organisations to put the institute's graduates on the appropriate uniform placement as Accountants or analogous positions in other organisations in the scheme of service. He said any action short of this had a high potential of eroding the interest in the Institute with dire consequences in public financial administration in the country.

Mr Hanson said the Institute was facing congestion as existing physical infrastructure and facilities were being overstretched. He appealed to government to complete one floor of the Institute's new structure for occupation by September next year.

Mr Hanson said the Institute was currently pursuing professional courses of the Chartered Institute of Public Financial Accountants (CIPFA UK) as part of its international programmes.

Mr Samuel Nyantekyi, Director of Budget at the Ministry of Finance, said improving the financial legal and regulatory framework was part of the challenges of reforming the Public financial system. In this direction the new financial Administration Act would start next year while the Financial Administration Regulation was also expected to be revised and approved by Parliament next year. Mr Nyantekyi said these new arrangement would require highly trained and competent technical personnel.

He pledged government's continued support for capacity building in accounting and management in the Civil Service and expressed the hope that opportunities for professional development would increase next year.

Mr Nyantekyi asked the graduates to be bold and fearless in the application of ethical and professional principles in the discharge of their duties.

Mr Eugene Ofosuhene, Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute assured the students that the council would help to resolve the issue of job placement to motivate others to take the courses. In all 62 students graduated with Mr Emil Azasoo being adjudged the overall best student in part one of the course.

A mini bus presented to the Institute by the government was also unveiled at the ceremony.