The Association of Women Accountants Ghana (AWAG) has inaugurated its Ashanti Region chapter at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), pledging to strengthen professional networks and mentor the next generation of female accountants.

Executives of the new chapter were sworn into office. As part of the event, AWAG members engaged students of KNUST Senior High School in a mentorship session to encourage more young women to pursue careers in accounting and finance.

Chairing the event, Professor Kingsley Opoku Appiah, Vice-Dean of the KNUST School of Business, urged the new executives to lead with integrity, vision and compassion.

“Let this inauguration be more than ceremony. Let it be a call to action. Let us rise, like Yaa Asantewaa, lead, like Nana Konadu Yiadom III and build a future worthy of their legacy,” he said.

National President of AWAG, Akua Bonsu-Owu, said the association’s mission is to attract, retain, build and advocate for women in the accountancy profession. She called the inauguration a defining moment in expanding AWAG’s influence across Ghana.

“No young girl should ever believe that accountancy is not for her. Our mission is to create pathways for women to thrive, not only as professionals but also as balanced individuals contributing to social change and national development,” she said.

She encouraged the executives to make the Ashanti chapter a hub of mentorship, collaboration and excellence, stressing that “empowered women ultimately empower communities and transform nations.”

Ashanti Chapter President Mrs. Cecilia Bart Plange said: “As women in a demanding profession, we bear not only the responsibility of upholding financial integrity but also of inspiring the next generation to break barriers, defy stereotypes and reach their fullest potential.”

She appealed for support, adding: “Together, we will not only account for resources but also account for change, progress and empowerment.”

As its first initiative, the new chapter held a mentorship programme at KNUST Senior High School to encourage students to pursue chartered accountancy.

Immediate past National President, Patience Mawushie Dzikunoo, urged the students to remain committed.

“There are almost 11,000 chartered accountants, but only 22% of them are women, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to encourage women to take up this profession,” she said. “You need to focus on your books and not TikTok, Instagram and social media; that is not the way to become a chartered accountant.”

Nathaniel, a representative of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG), outlined the professional pathway.

“With the ICA, you have to make sure you’re done with all the courses in level one with no trails before you proceed to the next level,” he said.

Bonsu-Owu told students determination could help them succeed.

“The youngest accountant is only 18 years old, and she even chartered before completing university. If she was able to do it, you can also do it,” she said.