Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) have been challenged to take greater responsibility for Ghana’s economic transformation by prioritising local production, ethical leadership and the development of future leaders.
According to the Chairperson of the Ghana CEO Vision High-Level Dialogue, Dr Ishmael Yamson, the country’s reset agenda would only succeed if business leaders reconsidered their continued reliance on imported goods and technology, upheld integrity in their operations and made decisions that served the long-term interests of the country.
Speaking at the Ghana CEO Vision High-Level Dialogue in Accra on Thursday, Dr Yamson said the responsibility for Ghana’s development rested not only with political leaders but also with the private sector.
“Only our leaders and the people of Ghana can solve our problems,” he emphasised, adding that chief executives were among the leaders expected to drive the change the country needed.
The event was held on the theme: “Reimagining Ghana’s Future: CEOs at the Heart of the Reset Agenda.”
Dr Yamson said the reset agenda placed responsibility for addressing the country’s challenges where it belonged, stressing that many of Ghana’s problems were homegrown and required deliberate changes in national attitudes and decision-making.
He questioned complaints about conditions attached to International Monetary Fund (IMF) support, arguing that Ghana needed to address the underlying weaknesses that repeatedly compelled it to seek external assistance.
“Whether this is reimagining or resetting, there is only one truth: that we have to learn to behave well as Ghanaians,” he said.
Dr Yamson outlined three priorities for business leaders: increasing production in Ghana, leading with integrity and ethics, and building the next generation of leaders.
On production, he urged CEOs to look beyond manufacturing to include innovation and the development of new ideas and technologies that could strengthen Ghana’s economic independence.
He questioned how the country could claim to be independent while continuing to depend on external sources for technology and other essential products.
He also expressed concern about Ghana’s dependence on imported food, saying the country needed to make better use of its resources to expand domestic production.
Additionally, Dr Yamson said integrity and ethics had been central to his career and urged CEOs to consider the legacy they would leave behind.
“A leader must make a difference; he must add value,” he said.
He further called on business leaders to invest in developing young people capable of making better decisions for Ghana’s future, warning that repeating the mistakes of previous generations would undermine the reset agenda.
The Director of the UNESCO Accra Office, Edmond Moukala N’Gouemo, also called on businesses and other stakeholders to move beyond discussions and take practical action to address development challenges.
He said investments in healthcare, education, clean water and social protection were essential to building the human capital needed to sustain industries and promote inclusive growth.
BY ABIGAIL ARTHUR
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