The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Professor John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, has called for a renewed commitment to ethical and integrity-driven leadership across public and private institutions to rebuild public confidence and strengthen governance in Ghana.
Delivering a public lecture at the 2025 Presidential Luncheon of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) on Wednesday, October 15, Prof. Mawutor urged leaders to set the right “tone at the top”, stressing that the moral example of leadership determines the ethical climate of every organisation.
“It is not the slogans on the wall, but the values leaders live by daily,” Prof. Mawutor stated. “The real measure of leadership is not found in policies, but in practice.”
Speaking on the theme “Tone at the Top: Leading with Integrity, Innovation and Compliance,” the Vice-Chancellor underscored that integrity remains the foundation of sustainable leadership.
He noted that institutions and nations that fail to set the right tone at the top “rarely survive long enough to realise their dreams.”
Drawing lessons from Ghana’s financial sector clean-up, Prof. Mawutor warned that weak governance and compromised ethics at leadership levels can have devastating national consequences.
“When weak governance, poor risk management, and compromised integrity take root at the top, the entire financial system is shaken,” he said. “The state had to commit over GH¢21 billion of taxpayer resources to protect depositors — money that could have built schools, hospitals, and infrastructure.”
He outlined three pillars of ethical leadership—integrity, innovation, and compliance—as essential ingredients for credible governance, adding that “when they align, organisations thrive; when they conflict, institutions collapse.”
Prof. Mawutor, who is also a Chartered Accountant and member of the ICAG, commended the Association for its continued enforcement of ethical standards, noting that its sanctions against errant audit firms demonstrated accountability in action.
“Through such actions, ICAG affirms that professional accountability is not optional; it is the lifeblood of credibility,” he remarked.
To conclude his lecture, Prof. Mawutor called on leaders in government, academia, and corporate Ghana to lead by example and restore trust in institutions.
“Leadership must once again become a trust, not a privilege. “Let us lead with integrity, innovate with purpose, and comply with conviction, for the tone we set at the top today will determine the future of our nation.”
