The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), in partnership with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Business and Financial Times (B&FT), has launched a leadership academy in Kumasi aimed at cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of driving Ghana’s economic transformation.
The programme, themed “Leading with Purpose: Forging Sustainable Development,” is designed to develop critical thinking, ethical discipline, and practical leadership skills among university students. The inaugural cohort comprises 52 students drawn from across 16 colleges within the university, selected through a rigorous process that prioritises academic excellence and leadership potential.
Speaking at the launch, ACCA Cluster Head for West and Central Africa, Norman Williams, framed the initiative as a direct response to a gap between Ghana’s academic output and the demands of a rapidly evolving professional landscape. He noted that the partnership bridges academic theory and professional practice while aligning local relevance with global standards. Williams pointed to ethics, sustainability, digital transformation, and corporate governance as the four defining qualities the programme aims to cultivate in the next generation of leaders.
A key feature of the programme is a guaranteed internship pathway with ACCA, which organisers say will give students direct access to industry networks and employer-aligned competencies in Ghana and beyond.
Pro Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Prof. David Asamoah, urged the cohort to treat the opportunity as a call to service rather than personal advancement, expressing confidence the initiative would serve as a replicable model for other institutions.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of B&FT, Dr. Godwin Acquaye, addressing students virtually, challenged participants to focus on developing skills that artificial intelligence (AI) cannot replicate, underscoring the urgency of building competencies that transcend traditional academic boundaries.
Provost of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prof. Charles Marfo, added that Ghana’s development agenda ultimately rests on the quality of people placed in critical positions, and that purposeful leadership rooted in resilience and problem-solving is what the country needs most.
