In the next 10 years, I and most of my partners will retire from SCG Chartered Accountants. To prepare for that, we’ve started working on succession. A lot of the work revolves around improving our HR process, identifying and placing people on the path to leadership. A part of that process also involves sharing our […]
Author Archives: George Katako
28
Feb
Feb
My post VAT has generated over 11,900 views. The post hit a nerve – concerns about the amount of tax and the workings of the VAT system. Many of the commentators noted that the telecommunications companies calculate VAT on Communication Service Tax (CST), GET Fund Levy (GETFL) and the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL). So, […]
26
Aug
Aug
“How much will the audit cost? It is a fair question, but our response will be, “to give you a quote we need to know a bit about your business.” So, what factors go into deciding how much the audit will cost? The auditor’s constraints Audit and accounting standards control the auditor’s work. Whichever approach […]
10
Jul
Jul
I made a profit but where did the cash go? This is the surprised reaction when you make a profit but have no cash to show for it. You pay bills with cash and not profit. So, whilst you’ve made a profit, you may not pay your bills on time and your business struggles. Why […]
05
Apr
Apr
This is part two of an article about what I have learned from 10 years of building SCG Chartered Accountants in Ghana. Read part one here. In this article, I discuss a few more lessons I’ve learned over the years. 1. Learn to say ‘no’ and focus A startup is often cash strapped and struggling […]
02
Apr
Apr
SCG Chartered Accountants (SCG) is not my first venture into self-employment. That was SCG Consulting, which focused on implementing and supporting Pastel accounting and payroll as its primary business. We made a bet back then that technology was the future! We were accountants, and setting up an accounting firm would have been natural. That’s what […]
24
Jan
Jan
People often ask me, “how do you see the year going? Will it be a good year or a bad year?” I respond with a shrug and say, “Whether it’s a good year or a bad year for everyone else, we’ll make it a great one for us.” This is the message I gave my […]
03
Dec
Dec
Choosing an accounting year end is important. Businesses must prepare business accounts for different reasons. These might include: To find out how the business has performed; To allow it to file for taxes. And to enable them to do that effectively, business owners must choose an accounting year for their business. What is an accounting […]
23
Jul
Jul
The Government of Ghana has, in its mid-year review of the budget, proposed changes to VAT. The changes will convert portions of the existing VAT into levies. The proposed changes are as follows: Pre-budget Budget proposal VAT 15% VAT 12.5% NHIL 2.5% GET Levy 2.5% NHIL Levy 2.5% This blog analyses the effects […]
03
Jul
Jul
Looking back on my 38 years as an accountant, the years I’ve spent building my career is a little like building a skyscraper. Today, I am the result of choices, experiences, and the trials of life. I – and my career – didn’t just happen. Why a Skyscraper? Think of what goes into building a […]
