Accountants have been tasked to constantly upgrade their skills, knowledge, and competencies and embrace innovation and change to meet expectations. Dr Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, the Finance Officer of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), made the call at the inauguration of the new Winneba District Society of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), hosted by UEW at Winneba. Dr Ackorlie, a member of ICAG, stated that the accountancy profession was facing many challenges in the era of globalisation and digitalisation, thereby threatening its sustainability. He said the profession was expected to provide reliable and relevant information for decision making to ensure accountability and transparency in financial reporting. It was also to safeguard the public purse and to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country. 'I, therefore, charge the Winneba District Society of the Institute to support the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) of its members to provide them w ith the necessary skills and guidance to enhance their competencies and capabilities. To ensure that the members patronized the CPD to achieve the maximum impact, organisers must be innovative in the choice of topics, facilities and medium of delivery, he stated. 'To become a member of the Institute is one thing and to develop into an accomplished professional accountant is another,' he said. That required not only technical knowledge and skills, but also soft skills such as communication, leadership, teamwork and ethics to become a fully-fledged professional. Dr Ackorlie, therefore, expressed the hope that the Winneba District Society would play a key role in fostering mentorship, facilitate and encourage the matching of mentors and mentees based on their interests, needs and preferences. He underscored the importance of publication of technical papers as one of the powerful ways by which accountants could promote their profession and sustain its relevance. That would go a long way to showcase the tale nts and potentials of the members and enhance the profession in Ghana and globally, he added. Prof Kwame Boasiako Omane-Antwi, a Fellow of the Association of Chartered certified Accountants (ACCA, UK) and a member of the ICAG, among other personalities, schooled members of the Society on a wide range of professional issues. He urged them to adapt to change, be focused, ethical and endeavour to nurture integrity, which was the hallmark of the profession and never rush in taking decisions. Ms Sena Dake, the President of ICAG, who inaugurated the Winneba District Society, led the executives to take the oath of office and allegiances after which he swore them into office. Representatives from Cape Coast, Accra and Kasoa District societies graced the occasion with goodwill messages. Source: Ghana News Agency