The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called on Ghanaians to shift attention from excessive partisan politics which has dominated public discourse over the decades to become builders of enterprise, production and ethical business development as the country approaches 70 years of independence.
He said after decades of political excessive partisan politics, the country must now focus on building businesses, creating jobs and strengthening the private sector to drive national prosperity.
Speaking at the Ghana Business Leaders’ Conclave organised by the University of Professional Studies, in Accra on Friday , the Asantehene said Ghana could no longer afford to remain trapped in cycles of promises and lamentation.
“After almost 70 years, the lesson is clear. Ghana has had enough of talk. Ghana must now become a nation of builders,” he stressed.
He added, “We must move from political rhetoric to building business. We must move from slogans to production. We must move from lamentation to enterprise.”
The Asantehene said the next decade must become a decade of business in which nation channels its energies towards building a resilient and sustainable economy.
He explained that while political leaders had the responsibility to create the right policy environment, citizens, entrepreneurs and professionals also had a duty to innovate and create jobs.
“But the duty to create, to innovate, to build enterprises, to create jobs and to add value to our natural resources rests also upon citizens, entrepreneurs, professionals and institutions such as this university,” he said.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said countries such as China, India, Singapore and Vietnam had achieved prosperity through enterprise, technology and innovation, and therefore Ghana must pursue a similar path.
He further expressed concern that Ghana’s economy remained heavily dominated by the state sector while the domestic private sector was not growing at the desired pace.
“Stimulating the private sector must remain a national priority,” he said.
The Asantehene also urged business leaders to uphold honesty, fairness and integrity in their operations, explaining that business success depended largely on trust.
“The honest business leader does not cut corners. He does not cheat the state and then complain that the nation is weak,” he stated.
He said ethical leadership, discipline and innovation were critical if Ghana was to achieve sustainable economic growth and become globally competitive.
Furthermore, he charged young professionals and students to become builders and problem-solvers who would contribute meaningfully to national development.
“If we do this, then the next decade will not be another decade of lamentation. It will be a decade of enterprise. It will be a decade of ethical leadership. It will be a decade of builders,” he said.
The Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra, Dr K.K. Sarpong, in his welcome address reiterated the need for integrity and ethical leadership in building resilient institutions and sustainable businesses.
He stressed that strong institutions could only thrive under principled leadership.
“Nations are built on the integrity of their institutions, and institutions are sustained by the integrity of their leaders,” he stated.
Dr Sarpong said businesses that ignored ethics and integrity would struggle to achieve long-term sustainability.
“In the business world, there is no doubt that sustainable enterprises depend on principled leadership,” he added.
He described the conclave’s theme, “Leading with Integrity: Negotiation, Mediation and Ethical Governance for Business Sustainability,” as both timely and necessary.
The Chancellor also encouraged participants to share knowledge and experiences to strengthen leadership capacity and corporate governance.
Dr Sarpong further commended the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for his decades of leadership and mediation.
“His Majesty’s decades of stewardship reflect principled negotiation, careful mediation and progressive traditional governance,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Board Chairman of GCB Bank, Prof Joshua Alabi, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship, innovation and national development.
He said the bank would continue to support businesses, SMEs and public institutions through digital transformation and customer-focused financial services.
“For over 70 years, GCB Bank has made significant contributions to businesses, public institutions, SMEs and the general public,” he said.
Prof Alabi added that partnerships between academia and industry were crucial for developing ethical and globally competitive businesses.
“Partnerships between universities and corporate institutions are essential in building the next generation of ethical, innovative and globally competitive industries,” he stated.
He also pledged the bank’s continued support for initiatives that promoted enterprise and economic growth.
