Accra, May 23, GNA - The Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) is to replace its Accounting Technicians training programme with a new scheme for member countries of the Economic Community of West African States.

The new Accounting Technicians Scheme integrates syllabi and examinations for the Accounting Technicians Schemes (ATS) in English and French-speaking countries within the sub-region. It would ensure that certificates obtained gain international recognition, Ms Helen Boafo, Education and Training Manager of the Institute told the Ghana News Agency after a student's forum to mark the ICA week in Accra.

The forum was held for students participating in ICAG examinations to interact with officials of the Institute and make inputs towards the successful implementation of Accounting courses and programmes in Ghana. Ghana runs a three-year Scheme as an introductory programme, which exempts students from Part One of the Institute's three-part Chartered Accountants training programme.

Currently, specialists from ECOWAS countries are participating in workshops sponsored by the Association of Accountancy Bodies in West Africa (ABWA), to draft study manuals for the new scheme. Ms Boafo said the process of integrating the syllabi used in the English-speaking countries had been completed, adding that it was likely the new scheme would commence by the end the year. She said Ghana was playing a leading role as a facilitator in the process of integrating the ATS in West Africa and that francophone counties belonging to ABWA were expected to join the new scheme before its next conference in Benin next year.

Mr Kwasi Asante, Registrar and Chief Executive, ICAG, debunked the notion that there was a deliberate policy by the Institute to fail students who write its examinations. Rather, the Institute focuses on producing Accountants who could stand the test of time, he held.