The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, has challenged accountants to uphold integrity and professionalism in the discharge of their duties to avoid infractions.
He further urged them not to succumb to pressure from higher authorities in taking decisions which would not be in the national interest.
“An account is not merely arithmetic; it is an art of telling. It decides what is visible or what stays hidden. I urge all of you to carry your cross and carry it as far as Calvary.
“Some of you will end up being crucified for exhibiting professionalism, but do not lose faith because you will always triumph; you will rise to shake your orchestrators,” the Speaker said.
Event
Mr Bagbin was speaking at the 2026 Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) Presidential Luncheon in Accra, on the theme: ” Beyond compliance: Chartered Accountants as catalysts for governance, growth and accountability.
In attendance were the Controller and Accountant-General, Kwesi Agyei; the Auditor-General, Dr Pamela Graham; the Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies (UPSA), Dr Kofi Koduah Sarpong, and Otumfuo’s Akomforehene, Oheneba Akwasi Abayie, among others.
Concerns
Mr Bagbin bemoaned the recurrence of financial irregularities by public institutions as captured in the Auditor-General’s report, saying “repeated errors” was a clear testament to the failure of the country to learn from its past mistakes.
He referenced the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC), where there were irregularities by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the 2025 Auditor-General’s report.
The Speaker wondered why some of the MDAs had consistently been flagged for committing such infractions in the past.
“This points to a failure to learn from past mistakes, a serious challenge in this country. People behave as if life began today and whatever they are doing today has never been done before,” he said.
Nation-building
The President of ICAG, Augustine Addo, said the event was a platform for knowledge sharing and discussion on leadership and accountability in the accounting profession. He said chartered accountants were crucial in sustainable development and nation-building owing to their valuable role in ensuring accountability.
“Chartered accountants wish to assure the government and good people of Ghana that we are ever prepared to support governance and economic growth of our dear country.
“We will continue to uphold our moral duty to expose perpetrators of fraud and ensure that our public and corporate financial space is not an avenue for financial malfeasance,” he said.
