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Discipline, perseverance get results …Princess Korkor Boateng, Chartered Accountant at 18 says
Princess Korkor Boateng
Princess Korkor Boateng is being celebrated for emerging the “youngest person ever,” at age 18, to qualify as a Chartered Accountant in Ghana.
The level 400 student who is studying Business Administration at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) has been congratulated on the University’s official Twitter handle and continues to receive goodwill messages across social media platforms.
In a recent interaction with The Spectator, the young achiever spoke about the role of her family, the rudiments of the test, and the hurdles she overcame in attaining this feat.
According to Princess, the motivation came from her mother, Ms Mary Sarbah who recommended that she apply for the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICA) course early enough to avoid the strain of combining work and studies in future.
She started the course in 2019 after gaining admission into the University and completed her last set of papers in April 2023. As young as she is,, she feels “comfortable” rubbing shoulders with colleagues of different age groups.
She said although some people did pass inauspicious comments, she was still focused on attaining her goal.
“Every accountant’s dream is to take the course a step further even to the highest level. Either way I knew I would do it, therefore, we thought it wise to start early and save ourselves the stress.
“I am happy I was able to finish the test and my mother who is an accountant, is proud to see her daughter step in her shoes. It is encouraging to see that my success has made people take steps forward to achieve their goals,” she said.
Apart from obtaining secondary and tertiary education, the road to becoming a Chartered Accountant comes in three levels.
“There is no fixed timeline to write any papers. You can choose to take the four papers one at a time or write them at a go. In Level 1, we write four papers, six papers in Level 2 and four papers in Level 3.
“Depending on a candidate’s schedule and the pace in passing the papers, one could finish within two years or take 10 years to write,” she explained.
“After first degree, especially as a Business student, one might have previously done certain courses in the university and this would not require them to repeat some ICA courses,” she added.
Princess said she was first unwilling to sit for the test because she had wanted to “enjoy a bit of life in the university” but the courage she eventually mustered has paid off.
“I thought there was ample time in the university especially when you do not have any leadership responsibility. But once I took the decision to start, I have been able to get the results,” she said, acknowledging the immense contribution of her family and colleagues on the rugged journey to success.
“I know it is unwise to inform everybody about your plans, however, there were some people who I confided in because I knew along the way I would need help. Some of them were already within the working environment and their practical explanations helped me a lot,” she said.
Time management, discipline and perseverance have been some of the key elements of Princess’ academic progress. She said in spite of her tight schedules, she was able to combine UGBS and ICA courses effectively.
Princess attended Akosombo International School, a Ghanaian co-educational international second-cycle institution in the Eastern Region. She hopes to delve into the world of technology after completing her first degree.
She is a budding photographer and enjoys listening to poetry performances. Her mother and other female chartered accountants are her role models.
While urging the youth to pursue their dream in the face of challenges, she asked women to rise up to the task and match their male counter-parts in every field of study or at the workplace.”
By Yunusah Essandoh
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
