A graduate of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Delaiah Teye Gberbie, has emerged the overall best graduating candidate at the 38th Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) Graduation Ceremony.

Delaiah was also recognized as the Best First Attempt Candidate of the Level 3 CA professional examination.

Prior to joining the institute, he graduated from UPSA with First Class Honours in Bachelor of Science, Business Administration.

Delaiah, while studying at the UPSA, juggled his academics with family business. According to him, he studied “either during lectures or in peer study groups” where he was a student peer tutor.

After his University education, Delaiah worked with NDK Financial Services and BakerTilly before joining KPMG.

The UPSA alumnus registered for the ICAG exams where he was exempted from all level 1 papers and granted scholarship.

The learned young man sat for his first papers during the May 2020 diet and final papers in the November 2021 exams diet with first time passes in all 10 papers.

In an interview with JoyBusiness, Delaiah said he looked forward to becoming an excellent professional who drives and lives the KPMG values.

On ethical practices in the accounting profession, Delaiah admonished members to adhere to the profession’s code of ethics.

“We need to keep striving to be better as well as keep updating our knowledge because that’s the one thing that normally causes these unethical practices” he said.

Tightened ICAG Regulation

For his part, President of the institute, Professor Williams Atuilik, said ICAG has tightened its regulation to rid the accounting profession of any bad name.

According to him, the emergence of the new ICAG Act 2020 mandates it to withdraw licenses of members found engaging in unethical practices.

“Every member of the profession knows that when they misconduct themselves, they will have their licenses revoked and that knowledge itself is good for us as a country. So we [chartered accountants] are all put on alert knowing that when we are found guilty of misconduct - what gives us livelihood which is the certificate and the license we hold - will be taken away from us”, he said.

The event, which is first Graduation for 2022, saw 563 qualified accountants issued certificates. In all, 67 new members joined the institute, having satisfied specific qualification criteria including 2 ATSWA graduands.

Awardees

Henry Kwaku Kyei Baffour emerged the Overall Best Candidate for Level 1 whereas Elsie Torgbor emerged Overall Best Candidate for Level 2 as well as Overall Best Female Candidate for the same level.

Meanwhile, Theophilla Awinpong Awinba was recognized as Overall Best Female Candidate for Level 1 whiles Carthy Korsikorkor was Overall Best Female Candidate and Best Candidate in Advance Audit and Assurance for Level 3.

Atipogbire Azobo and Benjamin Baah, on the other hand, were the only two graduands for Part 1 of the Accounting Technician Scheme West Africa (ATSWA) programme.

Other award winners

Level 3

Joycelyn Selase Akototsey - Corporate Reporting

Andrew Nartey Odjawo – Advanced Taxation

Stephanie Appiah – Strategic Case Study

Level 2

Christ Offessah Aidoo – Financial Reporting

Bernard Yamoah – Management Accounting

Bernard Yamoah – Financial Management

Richard Nyame – Audit and Assurance

Raymond Aduko Adongo – Public Sector Accounting and Finance

Emmanuel Kofi Fenyi – Principles of Taxation

Level 1

Gabriel Mawutor Gadogboh – Financial Accounting

Theophilus Quaicoe – Business Management and Information Systems

Blessed Assefuah – Business and Corporate Law

Brenda Yayra Walters – Introduction to Management Accounting

About 38th Graduation, Admission Ceremony

This year’s event sought to formally admit new members into the fold of the institute’s existing membership. Some of the new members qualified successfully passing all three levels of the CA professional examinations, whilst others met the requirements via an assessment of training they had received at equivalent professional accountancy bodies.

The ceremony also sought to award certificates to graduands who successfully completed the institute’s qualifying examinations in November, 2021 and ATSWA in September, 2021.

The event also sought to award certificates to participants of the institute’s Post-Chartered Diploma programme.