Publication: Ghana : Accounting and Auditing
Loading...
Date
2004-06-19
ISSN
Published
2004-06-19
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
This report provides an assessment of accounting and auditing practices within the context of the Ghana institutional framework to ensure the quality of corporate financial reporting. The accounting and auditing practices in Ghana suffer from institutional weaknesses in regulation, compliance, and enforcement of standards and rules. Various weaknesses were identified in the laws and regulations governing financial reporting. Although Ghana Accounting and Auditing Standards have been based on International Accounting Standards and International Standards on Auditing, respectively, they are outdated and gaps exist in comparison with the international equivalents. Furthermore, national ethical requirements for auditors are not in line with international requirements. Full compliance with Ghana National Accounting Standards is not readily achieved; some listed companies inappropriately claim compliance with International Accounting Standards. There is inadequate adherence to auditing standards and professional ethics. Apart from the banking sector practice, monitoring and enforcement mechanisms are ineffective. These factors, as well as poor quality accounting education and training, have contributed to weaknesses of the financial reporting and auditing regime. The policy recommendations provided in this report focus on improving statutory framework, strengthening enforcement mechanisms, upgrading professional education and training, and enhancing capacity of regulatory and professional bodies.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2004. Ghana : Accounting and Auditing. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/14531 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Moldova : Accounting and Auditing(Washington, DC, 2004-06-28)Financial reporting and auditing practices in Moldova's corporate sector are currently in a period of transition from providing for tax calculation and statistical needs to convergence with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and International Standards on Auditing (ISA). This report draws upon recent international experience in developed economies and EU accession countries as well as expected amendments to EU Directives. The review found that, except in the banking sector, the current level of compliance with financial reporting obligations is inadequate, and that the quality of the financial reporting is low. In that context, the report recommends the following actions: (i) the capacity of regulatory agencies for enforcing accounting standards and financial reporting requirements to all entities of public interest - including large state-owned enterprises - should be increased; (ii) a public registry should be set-up for all public-interest companies to file their financial statements; and (iii) an independent oversight board of auditors should be established under the soon-to-be-issued new Audit Law, with the function to qualify statutory auditors, adopt auditing standards and develop guidelines, and monitor auditors compliance with NSA and independence requirements.Publication Haiti : A Review of Accounting and Audit Practices(Washington, DC, 2007-11)This report analyzes corporate financial reporting and auditing practices in Haiti. It supports the Government's efforts to: (a) improve financial sector stability and development; (b) encourage a business climate conducive to private investment and local companies' access to credit and long-term finance; and (c) enhance the governance and accountability of public enterprises. For the purpose of this study, the benchmarks that have been used include the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the International Standards on Auditing (ISA). The report also draws on international experience and good practice in accounting and auditing, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. The main focus of the review is the institutional framework and professional environment that underpin private sector accounting and audit practices.Publication Bhutan : Public Sector Accounting and Auditing, A Comparison to International Standards(Washington, DC, 2007)The objectives of this report are: (a) to provide the country's accounting and audit authorities and other interested stakeholders with a common well-founded knowledge as to where local practices stand in accordance with the internationally developed standards of financial reporting and audit; (b) to assess the prevailing variances; (c) to chart paths to reduce the variances; and (d) to provide a continuing basis for measuring improvements. The analysis in this report has been conducted in light of the strong measures being taken in the Kingdom of Bhutan to reform the accounting and auditing processes. The report addresses several issues such as: adopting international accounting standards in major public enterprises; implementing professional leadership in accounting and financial management; implementing a fully integrated, computerized government accounting system; drafting new acts on public financial management and combating corruption; strengthening the Royal Institute of Management (RIM); and providing training for finance, accounting, and internal audit staff in line ministries and other government agencies, heads of administration and finance divisions, and other managers.Publication Kosovo : Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes on Accounting and Auditing--Update(Washington, DC, 2012-06)This report is an update of the 2006 Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC) on Accounting and Auditing (A&A) in the Republic of Kosovo (Kosovo). The main objective of the 2006 ROSC was to assist the then-existing Kosovo Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in strengthening A&A practices, in order to support sustained economic growth and improve the competitiveness of local enterprises. For this update, a particular focus was placed on analyzing significant changes in (a) the statutory framework for A&A standards and practices; (b) the A&A profession; (c) the quality of accounting education at the tertiary level; (d) the enforcement of A&A requirements both within the profession and by financial sector regulators; and (e) financial reporting standards in the banking sector. The report also focuses on assessing the degree of alignment of Kosovo's institutional framework for corporate financial reporting with the European Union (EU) acquis communautaire. This ROSC A&A update will also provide inputs to the Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) update.Publication Republic of Tunisia : Accounting and Auditing(Washington, DC, 2006-10)This report provides an assessment of accounting, financial reporting, and auditing requirements and practices within the enterprise and financial sectors in Tunisia. The analysis of practices is based among others on the review of a sample of 16 financial statements prepared in accordance with Tunisian accounting standards, including 6 listed enterprise sector companies, 3 listed credit institutions and 3 insurance undertakings (of which 2 are listed). The assessment uses International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), International Standards on Auditing (ISA), and the relevant portions of European Union (EU) law (also known as the acquis communautaire) as benchmarks and draws on international experience and good practices in the field of accounting and audit regulation. As Tunisia deepens its partnership with the EU and becomes more integrated in the world market, the country monitors the development of the acquis communautaire and enacts legislation that draws upon it. This report recommends changes to law and regulations to align the statutory framework with evolving internationally accepted practices. As the new regulations come into force, priorities will then turn toward building the monitoring, supervisory, and disciplinary regimes necessary to ensure effective compliance.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Ten Steps to a Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation System : A Handbook for Development Practitioners(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2004)An effective state is essential to achieving socio-economic and sustainable development. With the advent of globalization, there are growing pressures on governments and organizations around the world to be more responsive to the demands of internal and external stakeholders for good governance, accountability and transparency, greater development effectiveness, and delivery of tangible results. Governments, parliaments, citizens, the private sector, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), civil society, international organizations, and donors are among the stakeholders interested in better performance. As demands for greater accountability and real results have increased, there is an attendant need for enhanced results-based monitoring and evaluation of policies, programs, and projects. This handbook provides a comprehensive ten-step model that will help guide development practitioners through the process of designing and building a results-based monitoring and evaluation system. These steps begin with a 'readiness assessment' and take the practitioner through the design, management, and importantly, the sustainability of such systems. The handbook describes each step in detail, the tasks needed to complete each one, and the tools available to help along the way.Publication World Development Report 2019(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2019)Work is constantly reshaped by technological progress. New ways of production are adopted, markets expand, and societies evolve. But some changes provoke more attention than others, in part due to the vast uncertainty involved in making predictions about the future. The 2019 World Development Report will study how the nature of work is changing as a result of advances in technology today. Technological progress disrupts existing systems. A new social contract is needed to smooth the transition and guard against rising inequality. Significant investments in human capital throughout a person’s lifecycle are vital to this effort. If workers are to stay competitive against machines they need to train or retool existing skills. A social protection system that includes a minimum basic level of protection for workers and citizens can complement new forms of employment. Improved private sector policies to encourage startup activity and competition can help countries compete in the digital age. Governments also need to ensure that firms pay their fair share of taxes, in part to fund this new social contract. The 2019 World Development Report presents an analysis of these issues based upon the available evidence.Publication The Power of Survey Design : A User's Guide for Managing Surveys, Interpreting Results, and Influencing Respondents(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2006)The vast majority of data used for economic research, analysis, and policy design comes from surveys-surveys of households, firms, schools, hospitals, and market participants, and, the accuracy of the estimate will depend on how well the survey is done. This innovative book is both a 'how-to' go about carrying out high-quality surveys, especially in the challenging environment of developing countries, and a 'user's guide' for anyone who uses statistical data. Reading this book will provide data users with a wealth of insight into what kinds of problems, or biases to look for in different data sources, based on the underlying survey approaches that were used to generate the data. In that sense the book is an invaluable 'skeptics guide to data'. Yet, the broad storyline of the book is something that should be absorbed by statistical data users. The book will teach and show how difficult it often is to obtain reliable estimates of important social and economic facts, and, therefore encourages you to approach all estimates with sensible caution.Publication Supporting Youth at Risk(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2008)The World Bank has produced this policy Toolkit in response to a growing demand from our government clients and partners for advice on how to create and implement effective policies for at-risk youth. The author has highlighted 22 policies (six core policies, nine promising policies, and seven general policies) that have been effective in addressing the following five key risk areas for young people around the world: (i) youth unemployment, underemployment, and lack of formal sector employment; (ii) early school leaving; (iii) risky sexual behavior leading to early childbearing and HIV/AIDS; (iv) crime and violence; and (v) substance abuse. The objective of this Toolkit is to serve as a practical guide for policy makers in middle-income countries as well as professionals working within the area of youth development on how to develop and implement an effective policy portfolio to foster healthy and positive youth development.Publication Zimbabwe(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2019-03-01)This report presents an assessment of Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector disaster risk and management capacity. The findings indicate that Zimbabwe is highly exposed to agricultural risks and has limited capacity to manage risk at various levels. The report shows that disaster-related shocks along Zimbabwe’s agricultural supply chains directly translate to volatility in agricultural GDP. Such shocks have a substantial impact on economic growth, food security, and fiscal balance. When catastrophic disasters occur, the economy absorbs the shocks, without benefiting from any instruments that transfer the risk to markets and coping ability. The increasing prevalence of ‘shock recovery-shock’ cycles impairs Zimbabwe’s ability to plan and pursue a sustainable development path. The findings presented here confirm that it is highly pertinent for Zimbabwe to strengthen the capacity to manage risk at various levels, from the smallholder farmer, to other participants along the supply chain, to consumers (who require a reliable, safe food supply), and ultimately to the government to manage natural disasters. The assessment provides the following evidence on sources of risks and plausible risk management solutions. It is our hope that the report contributes to action by the Government of Zimbabwe to adopt a proactive and integrated risk management strategy appropriate to the current structure of the agricultural sector.