Africa-Press – Ghana. Mr Julius Deborah, the Chief of Staff, has challenged Ghanaian businesses to move beyond short-term profit considerations and embrace bold investment, innovation and expansion to help position Ghana as a manufacturing hub in West Africa.
Delivering the keynote address at the opening of the third edition of the Kwahu Business Forum at Mpraeso, Mr Debrah said the country’s economic transformation required a stronger commitment from the private sector.
“But business must also rise to the moment. The private sector must invest boldly, innovate consistently, formalise where necessary, and scale beyond comfort. We must build firms that think not only about immediate margins, but about long-term competitiveness, resilience and national impact,” he said.
Mr Debrah said meaningful economic transformation would require closer collaboration between government and the private sector.
“If we are serious about national transformation, then government and enterprise cannot operate as strangers or adversaries. They must work as partners in one common mission: to build a stronger, more productive and more self-confident Ghanaian economy,” he added.
He said while government remained committed to creating an enabling environment through policy reforms and infrastructure development, the private sector must reciprocate by taking calculated risks, expanding operations and prioritising industrialisation over trading activities.
President John Dramani Mahama is pursuing an agenda aimed at shifting Ghana’s economy from a consumption and import-driven model to one anchored on production and manufacturing.
Mr Debrah reiterated that such transformation could only be realised through a strong partnership between the government and the private sector.
The high-level forum, being held at the Kwahu Convention Centre on the Mpraeso Hill, has attracted more than 1,000 participants, including entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and captains of industry.
The event, which has become a major feature of the Easter celebrations in Kwahu, is providing a platform for networking, investment pitch sessions, masterclasses and exhibitions aimed at fostering partnerships and business opportunities.
Mr Debrah described the forum as “an instrument of action,” where policy meets practice and ambition translates into execution.
