By Kodjo Adams
Accra, Oct. 21, GNA – Dr David Ofosu-Dorte, Executive Chairman, AB & David Law, has urged accountants to embrace technological innovation and focus on helping businesses identify and create value to remain relevant in an increasingly digital economy.
He said emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and digital currencies, were transforming professional services and could threaten the long-term relevance of accounting practices that failed to adapt.
Dr Ofosu-Dorte gave the advice on Wednesday at the 2026 Practice Management conference in Accra, organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) Practice Society.
The three-day conference is on the theme “Professional Excellence in the Digital Age: Strengthening Capacity, Credibility, and Client Confidence.”
He cautioned against the assumption that the accounting profession would continue to exist in its current form.
“The future of professional services would depend on practitioners’ ability to anticipate change, innovate, and respond to the evolving needs of clients rather than rely on traditional qualifications and established practices,” he said.
He said accountants should move beyond the preparation and auditing of financial records to become strategic advisers who help businesses forecast future performance, identify opportunities, and improve profitability.
Dr Ofosu-Dorte said businesses increasingly needed accountants who could interpret financial data, identify emerging sources of value, and advise them on how to create wealth.
He cited digital assets, cryptocurrencies, tokens, domain names, software, and data as areas requiring greater attention from accounting professionals, particularly regarding their valuation and treatment in financial statements.
He urged the ICAG and its Practice Society to establish a task force to examine the future of the accounting profession and develop strategies to prepare practitioners for technological disruption.
Touching on trust and professional standards, he urged practitioners to demonstrate independence, integrity, ethical conduct, and a commitment to continuous professional development to maintain public confidence.
He stressed that quality should be measured by the value clients received and not merely by compliance with established procedures.
“Trust is earned. It cannot be demanded,” he said.
On the future of the profession, the speaker predicted that professional credentials would become less important relative to practitioners’ ability to solve problems and deliver measurable value.
He said automation could reduce the need for human involvement in routine accounting tasks, while innovation would determine which firms and practitioners remained competitive.
A speech read on behalf of Dr Eric Oduro Osae, Chief Executive Officer, ICAG, the regulator, cautioned against relying on technology without independently verifying the information and conclusions it generated.
He emphasized that although AI could produce answers quickly, it could not assume professional responsibility for the accuracy of those answers.
“If a practitioner accepts an AI analysis without checking its sources, and it is wrong, the client will not blame the software. The practitioner will ultimately be accountable,” he said.
Dr Robert Donaldy, Chairman of the ICAG Practice Society, said responsible use of technology would help practitioners improve the quality of their services while maintaining the credibility and trust that underpin the profession.
“We are in the AI era right now, and AI has come to stay. You cannot do much without AI, but professionals have to assess it to make sure it is adding value to what we do before we accept it,” he said.
He said, “The expectation is that at the end of the three days, we go out there with a different mindset and approach our profession through the digital age, making sure that we are touching all bases to ensure that our profession flourishes in this era.”
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Kodjo Adams
Email: [email protected]