In moving ‘Ghana beyond Aid’, the country requires not only physical infrastructure to facilitate economic growth but also the talents of professional accountants to help manage resources efficiently, a Deputy Finance Minister, Ms. Abena Osei-Asare has said.
She argued that, general perceptions of accountants has been that of number crunchers; a person who has just been employed as an afterthought to do the books in order to meet regulatory obligations.
“These views are not accurate, as a qualified and strategic minded accountant can be a great asset to a business and the nation,” she averred.
Ms. Osei-Asare was addressing newly qualified batch of accountants during their 2018 induction ceremony at the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG), last week in Accra.
She observed that accountants can only make the difference in the march towards economic development when excellence and strong commitments are pursued as virtues.
“As newly qualified accounting professionals, let us commit ourselves to a Ghana beyond Aid by imbibing the ideals and high ethical standards of the profession – good corporate governance, effective internal control, proper risk management and assessment, and pursuing excellence business ethics,” she said.
Ms. Osei-Asare, explained that government is willing to engage with ICAG and all qualified accountants nationwide to bring the public interest to the table and push transparency and accountability higher on the national agenda.
ICAG’s President, Mr. Christian Sottie, appealed to the inductees to work assiduously in order to exhibit the professionalism.
“Be committed to proper financial management, and the fight against corruption in the various organizations that would engage your services and expertise. That is the only way to propel your organizations to higher heights,” he said.
By Wisdom Jonny-Nuekpe
