Aurore Selormey and the Making of Ghana’s Accounting Profession

Ghana’s corporate history includes pioneers whose work quietly shaped institutions and individuals. Aurore Selormey belongs firmly in that category. Recognized as the country’s first female accountant, her career unfolded at a time when the profession was male-dominated.

Born in 1931 and raised in Accra, Selormey demonstrated academic excellence from an early age. Her performance earned her entry into Achimota School in the mid-1940s.

She began her working life in the accounts department of the Ghana Post Office. Determined to pursue a professional qualification, she travelled to the United Kingdom for further training. Within three years, she had completed her accountancy program.

On her return home, Selormey entered private practice but soon encountered the realities of workplace inequality. After discovering pay disparities between herself and male colleagues, she chose to leave the firm rather than accept unequal treatment.

She was appointed country secretary of a multinational company with the approval of its headquarters in New York. The appointment drew international attention and was published in the New York Herald Tribune

Selormey later became a founding member of the National Investment Bank, contributing to the early institutional development of Ghana’s financial sector. She also served on national committees tasked with examining financial and procurement irregularities in companies. Her contributions to public accountability earned her the Order of the Star of the Volta.

Her boardroom presence became equally significant. She served as a director of the Unilever Ghana board and the Electricity Company of Ghana, and as chair of the Audit Service Board.

She rose to become the first female president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ghana and later led the Association of Accountancy Bodies in West Africa. Her leadership extended to mentoring younger professionals, particularly women entering the field, through her involvement with the Association of Women in Accountancy, Ghana.

She remains deeply grounded in her Christian faith and has consistently attributed her success to God, perseverance, and integrity.