Monrovia — The President of the Liberia Institute of Certified Public Accountants (LICPA), Victor S.K.B. Tanwone, Sr., has been elected as the 28th President of the Association of Accountancy Bodies in West Africa (ABWA), a regional organization within the International Federation of Accountants.
The election of Mr. Tanwone took place in Banjul, Gambia during the 99th Council Meeting, making him the second Liberian to hold such a prestigious position.
In his acceptance speech, LICPA President Tanwone, Sr., praised the immediate past president of ABWA for his unwavering steadfastness, commitment, and dedication during his tenure of office.
According to the LICPA boss, his term in office will be characterized by a commitment to inclusivity and encouraging active participation of all professional accountancy organizations (PAOs) in the sub-region.
"We will support the secretariat under the able leadership of our illustrious and dynamic Executive Secretary, Dr. Abel Assien, to reach out to all dormant, partially active, and potential members of PAOs within the ECOWAS Region," he announced.
The newly inducted ABWA president added, "During my tenure, I will strive to formulate policies and programs for council approval. These initiatives aim to rekindle the enthusiasm of inactive or dormant member bodies, motivating them to actively participate in and support the growth of ABWA. I refer to these policies and programs as motivational incentives."
Mr. Tanwone expressed concern over the ongoing decline in the interest of member PAOs in participating in ABWA activities. He emphasized that this decline must be promptly addressed if ABWA is to achieve its full growth potential.
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"An essential principle in organizational behavior posits that when individuals are rewarded with incentives, either in kind or otherwise, they become motivated to exert their best efforts in advancing the organization's goals," stressed Mr. Tanwone. "In any organization lacking motivational incentives, member efforts and engagement decrease, eventually leading to waning interest and the organization's demise."
LICPA's president continued, "My leadership will actively seek to strengthen collaboration with development partners such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the United Nations Development Program."
He also pledged that his leadership would identify projects and develop concept papers on behalf of ABWA to increase revenue for the association.
"This strategy aims to generate more revenue for the association. Therefore, I call upon all members of PAOs to unite their efforts and determination by demonstrating active participation in ABWA's activities. Only then can ABWA make a significant and meaningful contribution to the evolving needs of our profession, both regionally and globally."
