If I am to do something, I always try to do it the best that I can. I constantly aim to demonstrate this attitude, both professionally and in my personal life. I also encourage my colleagues to do their utmost in everything they do. I believe we can only get better when we put in the effort and try to do our best.
I was inspired to become an accountant by my teachers at high school in Tema, a coastal city just east of Ghana’s capital Accra. They supported me in my business studies course and then encouraged me to go on to read commerce, which I did at the University of Cape Coast in central Ghana. After graduating, I fulfilled my one-year national service as an intern at Deloitte. That experience greatly influenced my decision to become a professional accountant.
Not many people have both the ACCA qualification and the CPA
In 2022, a few years after I joined Deloitte full time, a secondment to its Dallas office in the US certainly took me out of my comfort zone. It was the first time my career had taken me out of Ghana, so I had to deal with the challenge of working abroad, and adapting to both cultural differences and a new business environment. During my 19-month stint in the US, I also took on the challenge of gaining the US Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualification. It was quite an experience, and I look back with pride on what I achieved within this short time – not many people have both the ACCA qualification and the CPA.
Working in audit, I’m fascinated by the business insights I gain from interactions with internal specialists and clients from different industries. It is interesting to see how the numbers tell a story about a business and how strategic decisions are then based on those numbers.
I am currently working on the audit of a supranational group in the financial services industry, which I find very exciting. The project exposes me to a lot of new financial instruments and experience in how they are accounted for, and also gives me the opportunity to engage with professionals from different African countries and organisations. As my career continues to evolve, I’m excited about making an impact wherever my accounting qualification takes me next.
Ghana’s biggest challenge is the existential threat posed by illegal small-scale mining, which causes damage to our water bodies, land and forests. I believe Ghana has adequate environmental laws, but these should be enforced. Our profession’s role is in fostering accountability. Accountants should demand of our leaders that our environmental laws are implemented to stop this destruction [see also the AB article, ‘Keeping the taps running’].
I would like to see an independent judiciary that protects the rights of citizens
If I had law-making powers, I would review the constitution of Ghana. I would ensure that rule of law is maintained by creating effective checks and balances between the three arms of government – executive, legislature and judiciary. This would guarantee that no single arm of government can defeat the key constitutional principle of separation of powers.
I would also provide the media with all the legal backing necessary to act as an effective checking agent over the government. This would help prevent abuses of power and enhance accountability. I would also like to see an independent judiciary that protects the rights of the citizens without fear or favour.
When I was young, I wanted to be a journalist. I think I would have pursued this career had I not become a qualified accountant. I love the fact that journalists keep people accountable, which is something I have always found inspiring.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my immediate family and catching up with my friends and the people I mentor. I also love to be up to date with current events and news around the world.
