Consultants’ association vows to crack down on fraudsters

Professional consultants’ umbrella organisation, The Rwanda Organisation of Professional Consultants (ROPC), has vowed to weed the sector of fraudulent practitioners who tarnish the sector.Speaking to The New Times, the organisation’s chairman, Jean Marie Vianney Makuza, revealed that currently, the sector operates in a disorderly environment and manner with no clear guidelines and regulations.He said that before end of March this year, his organisation will have put in place internal rules and regulations to guide consultants to work in a more professional and productive way.Makuza noted that they will also promote capacity building among consultants to improve their skills and knowledge on how best to carry out their daily activities.“We don’t want the industry to be regarded as a field for failures and adventurers, and it’s in this regard that ROPC intends to make our profession one of the most respected and successful careers in the country,” Makuza asserted.He said that currently, it is difficult to coordinate and supervise consultants due to lack of a database, but noted that they would put in place a database to be displayed on their website to help both their clients and government easily access any type of consultants.“Under vision 2020, the government of Rwanda wants our nation to become a knowledge-based economy, and according to my analysis and observation, I think the consultancy industry will play a major role,” Makuza noted.A survey conducted by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) showed that between 2003 and 2008, the government spent approximately US$ 80 million on external consultancy services annually.