FinMin urges auditors to control financial crimes

Kathmandu, December 22

Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada has said that chartered accountants should focus on reducing financial irregularities and corruption related activities.

Addressing a programme on ‘Professional integrity for combating corruption and fraud’ organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants Nepal (ICAN), Khatiwada said that the prime challenge of today is to tackle the rising financial crimes.

Citing that the rise in the number of fake companies and unscientific accounting is a threat to the entire financial system, Minister Khatiwada said that all stakeholders should discourage such practices. “Some activities are fake from the initial phase itself. Auditors should identify such activities and not authenticate them,” he said.

Moreover, Khatiwada said that auditors should have ample knowledge about new financial technologies as financial crimes through the use of such technologies are on the rise.

On the occasion, Chief Commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Navin Kumar Ghimire, said that chartered accountants during auditing should try to identify if any financial corruption has occurred. “They should not try hiding financial irregularities that have been witnessed by them,” he said.

Similarly, Auditor General Tanka Mani Sharma Dangal said corruption can be minimised only if every business is carried out following legal procedures.

“Stakeholders should be aware of the increasing tax evasion and financial corruption,” he said.