- Hi! I am Ernest Boakye-Yiadom, an accountant from ACCA (UK) and a chartered accountant from the Ghana Institute of Chartered Accountants.
- I happen to be the only chartered accountant in my family, and it has been a journey of determination.
- Because of my professional certification, I am very well respected by colleagues, and my professional opinion is widely sought on technical matters.
I have more than thirteen years of experience in the External and Internal Audit functions, primarily in risk-based audits, special reviews, and investigations.
Here is my story about how, despite all odds, I began m ACCA journey career in “finance”!
Tracing one’s ancestors and shifting gears from “arts to accounting”
Growing up was not easy. Both of my parents are trained teachers by profession; however, since the teaching profession is not well-paid, my parents made a lot of sacrifices to see us through our education.
Luckily, having parents who are teachers did have a very positive impact on me. I loved studying and have always been focused on my studies!
In Ghana, students decide their career path in senior high school. You have the option of studying General Arts, Visual Arts, Science, or Business Studies.
I opted for General Arts, with an emphasis on Geography, Economics, Mathematics, and Literature in English… After all, my dad is a geographer, and like any child, I wanted to be like him.
In short, studying to be a chartered accountant was not part of the original plan.
However, when I was still in college, back in 2002, the accounting option was considered to be one of the most challenging.
I thought if I could pursue it and succeed at it, it would provide me with leverage to take on more challenging roles later in life.
So I switched from Arts to a Bachelor of Science in Administration, eventually settling on Accounting in the third year!
Coming from a pure arts background also meant that I had to put in extra hours to get a firm grounding in accounting!
What Next… Should I opt for a professional accounting certification like the CA or ACCA?
In my third year at college, a close friend of mine told me about the professional accounting programmes—ACCA and CA (Ghana).
I knew early on the importance of having a professional certification, so I decided to pursue the ACCA (UK).
Why ACCA and not CA (Ghana)? My BSc (Accounting program) covered the Ghanaian Corporate Law and Tax curriculum, which also formed part of the syllabus of CA (Ghana). Therefore, I thought that studying for the ACCA programmed would broaden my horizons as it covered the UK corporate law and tax environment and open me up for international opportunities in the future.
So I decided to take on the challenge of studying for the ACCA while also completing my BSc.
ACCA Journey and Study Funding
I started my ACCA journey in the third year of my undergraduate studies, and it has been a fulfilling one indeed.
During the early stages of my ACCA journey, I had to personally finance the papers I took. and finance was a big challenge!
Funding my studies was a big challenge, but somehow we made arrangements for funds.
I also knew I had to start working as soon as possible.
After I completed the Level I exams and the first paper of the Level II ACCA exams, I got an opportunity at PwC, Ghana.
Luckily, PwC Ghana Office provided full funding for the subsequent ACCA papers when I joined the firm. That was a big relief.
I was eventually recruited to the Assurance and Business Advisory Services Wing of the Ghana practice, where I had the opportunity to work on various high-profile multinational companies and eventually qualify as a fully certified ACCA member.
Did education transform my life?
Education has contributed a great deal to transforming my life.
Because of my professional certification, I am very well respected by colleagues, and my professional opinion is widely sought on technical matters, both within and outside my professional work environment.
I do not just accept things on their face; I dare to question the status quo and understand why people do what they do.
I have had the opportunity to deal with people I ordinarily would not have had the opportunity to meet!
I have developed a great deal of confidence and see opportunities where others see challenges.
But the certification is not an end in itself. Getting the qualification is only the starting point for a career in accounting. I have a long way to go!
We must continuously update ourselves by undertaking continuous professional development and continue to play our roles as gatekeepers of society by upholding high levels of integrity.
In Conclusion…
I settled for the ACCA certification because of its wide reach, global appeal, and robust, comprehensive, and dynamic nature of the syllabus. However, I have subsequently acquired other qualifications.
I have an MSc degree in Oil and Gas Accounting (with merit), CPA and CGA certification from British Columbia, and a CA Ghana membership certificate.
No challenge is insurmountable. Take time to widen your professional network and consult fellow professionals for second opinions if you are not sure.
I wish to encourage prospective and current CAs to be resilient in their professional journeys if they want to make an impact and leave footprints in the “sands” of the profession.
Determination is everything. You must believe “YOU Can. You must believe “YOU CAN.”
