Stakeholders Perceptions of Donor Funded Interventions at ICAG

This study examines the perceptions of stakeholders about the outcomes of donor-funded interventions and how the outcomes influence the credibility of the accountancy professional qualification in Ghana. Data for the study was collected via administration of questionnaire to Chartered Accountants (members), ICAG examiners and ICAG students. The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, questionnaires for examiners were administered at the May 2018 examination’s conference marking of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana. Data from members were collected at the 2018 annual general meeting of Chartered Accountants in Accra while views of ICAG students were collected from students enrolled in accredited tuition providers scattered around Ghana with the majority coming from Accra. In the second phase of the study, questionnaire for examiners was administered during the November 2019 examination’s conference marking of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana. Data from members and students were gathered through the distribution of questionnaire through google forms. Descriptive statistics are used to analyse the perception of stakeholders with respect to CPD quality, examination quality and tuition quality. Also, the independent sample t-test was conducted to compare the mean values in phase 1 and phase 2 of the study. Furthermore, the study employs principal component analysis (PCA) and regression to establish the relationship between continuous professional development (CPD) quality, examinations quality, tuition quality and credible professional qualification. Our results show that majority of members, examiners and students believed that the institutional intervention by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) to the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) had improved the quality of CPDs, quality of examinations and quality of tuition provided by accredited Tuition Centres. Further, there is evidence to suggest a positive and significant relationship between CPD quality, examinations quality, tuition quality and credible professional qualification. The findings of this study suggest that CPD quality, exams quality and tuition quality significantly enhance the credibility of professional qualification in a country. Therefore, the ICAG and other regulators of the accountancy profession should pay particular attention to the quality of CPD, exams and tuition in order to improve on the credibility of professional qualifications in their respective countries.