Gunu lauds ICAG for upholding ethical standards

The Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, has commended the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) for its commitment to upholding the highest professional standards, saying its ethical leadership contributes significantly to economic stability and national development.

“Accountants are not merely keepers of figures and financial records; they are custodians of transparency, accountability and public trust,” he said.

Mr Gunu said this at the formal opening of the 2026 Accountants’ Conference in Ho yesterday.

The week-long conference, which is on the theme: ‘Building Strong and Sustainable Economies: Standards, Integrity and Accountability', is being attended by about 2,500 members of ICAG and partners from South Africa, Senegal and Nigeria.

Mr Gunu said the conference theme spoke directly to the core values required to strengthen the country’s institutions, improve governance systems and promote sustainable national development.

The regional minister acknowledged that in both the private and public sectors, the work of the accountant supported effective planning, prudent resource management and sound decision-making.

“As a country, we continue to pursue reforms aimed at improving governance, restoring confidence in public institutions and ensuring responsible use of public resources.

“In all these efforts, the accounting profession remains a key partner in driving integrity and accountability,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr Gunu said the Volta Region was steadily positioning itself as a destination for investment, tourism, agriculture and industrial growth.

In that vein, he said the Volta Regional Coordinating Council recognised the importance of strong financial systems and accountable institutions in attracting investors and ensuring sustainable development.

Support

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, in a video message, entreated ICAG to commit great zeal and enthusiasm to the government’s Resetting Agenda initiative.

He said the government recognised the valiant role of accountants in national development and expected them to support such efforts with the appropriate mechanism for scrutiny and transparency, with regard to the use of public funds.

Accountancy and AI

Earlier, at a press conference to herald the conference, the President of the ICAG, Augustine Addo, said the accountancy profession was changing rapidly, with Artificial Intelligence reshaping finance.

He said sustainability reporting was becoming mandatory globally, and public confidence in institutions was increasingly tied to transparency and ethical leadership.

That, Mr Addo said, highlighted the question if Ghana was ready for the future of professional accountancy.

He said ICAG was sure Ghana was ready for the future, adding that over the past year, the institute had undergone significant transition and renewal.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ICAG, E. O. Osae, said the conference theme was a response to the realities facing the profession, the Ghanaian economy and the broader trajectory of the continent.

“Building strong economies requires that the financial systems underpinning them are credible, well-governed and capable of bearing scrutiny,” he explained.