The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has urged entrepreneurs operating existing businesses to assess capital markets to finance their firms when the need arises.

ACCA Ghana Head Doris Yaa Aggrey Ahiati, who identified funding as one of the main challenges of businesses, stated that she “suggests the capital markets as an ideal place to go when you are looking for funding for a business that is already in operation”.

She made this known on the second edition of Think Ahead, a business programme on Class FM in collaboration with the ACCA.

Ms Ahiati told host Moro Awudu on Tuesday, February 14 that sometimes entrepreneurs are not honest when accessing capital and may end up with short-term loans from banks to finance their long-term projects.

For her, financial markets offer flexibility and enough time to pay back funds taken in the form of loans or equity.

“There is an added advantage of the company, together with their financial advisors, to fix a preferred interest and also determine the form of payment which could be a fixed rate, floating rate, and whether the returns could be transformed from a loan to equity investment in the case of bonds and other financial instruments,” she said.

“Again, the funds could be by public or private means depending on the pros and cons and the nature of the business.”

She was glad that through the radio programme ACCA was able to educate the public about setting and managing a business in order to reap profits.

She added that the association contributes to public sector growth through quality education and research, with the latest being 50 Key Drivers of Change in the Public Sector.

Mrs Ahiati indicated that ACCA achieves its set goals through collaborations with several entities including the World Bank, policy makers, academic institutions, and the media.

She was optimistic that the ‘Think Ahead’ programme, which provides a platform for the discussion of topical issues, would help listeners to develop business skills and be proactive in dealing with problems in the day-to-day running of their businesses.

She said the series would be providing insightful, practical discussions and intellectually stimulating presentations that are relevant to issues in modern businesses and the economy.

The programme airs every Tuesday on Class FM’s Executive Breakfast Show from 8:30am to 9:15am and takes the form of a brief presentation of the specific subject matter under discussion while the audience are allowed to contribute and ask questions on the subject.

ACCA is the global body for professional accountants and aims to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability, and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance, and management.

Source: ClassFMonline.com