Ghana CEO Vision Expo seeks solutions to bridge gaps in government’s reset agenda

Ghanaian business leaders are calling for stronger private sector participation in the government’s reset agenda, with emphasis on local production, innovation and digital finance to drive economic growth. The call was made at the 5th Ghana CEO Vision Expo and Awards, which brought together chief executives and industry leaders to explore practical ways businesses can support the government’s development agenda. Founder and Chief Executive of Ghana CEO Vision and Awards, Latif Abubakar, said the dialogue was intended to generate practical recommendations to complement government’s efforts to reset the economy. He observed that private sector involvement in the reset agenda remained inadequate, making it necessary to create a platform for business leaders to contribute ideas and solutions. “Though the President is doing so and trying to engage the private sector, little has been done with regards to that engagement when it comes to the reset agenda conversation,” he said. Mr Abubakar said the discussions would focus on identifying gaps in the agenda, particularly in areas such as innovation, job creation and local production. He added that the organisers intend to develop a communiqué outlining practical recommendations for submission to the Presidency. “Governance is best when it’s a public-private partnership,” he stressed. Chairperson of the event, Ishmael Yamson, also urged business leaders to prioritise local production and build a strong culture of integrity and ethical leadership. He said Ghana must reduce its dependence on imported goods and invest more in local capacity, technology and innovation to achieve sustainable economic transformation. “Can we forever buy technology from outside and claim to be independent? We can’t,” he said, challenging chief executives to consider how their businesses could contribute to national development. Mr Yamson further urged business leaders to invest in human capital and groom the next generation of leaders, warning that decisions taken today would shape Ghana’s future. Meanwhile, Chief Executive of Mobile Money Fintech Limited, Shaibu Haruna, called for greater emphasis on digital finance as a tool to promote entrepreneurship and strengthen the productive sector. He said although Ghana had made significant progress in financial inclusion through mobile money, more needed to be done to translate digital access into economic empowerment. “Can a young man or entrepreneur use the digital financial history that they have to access working capital for their business? Can a woman running a small and medium-sized enterprise access appropriate credit without having to provide collateral?” he asked. Mr Haruna said digital transaction records could help businesses, farmers and entrepreneurs demonstrate their financial capacity and access credit to expand their operations. He added that a functional 24-hour economy would require reliable digital payment systems that allow businesses to transact seamlessly around the clock. The 5th Ghana CEO Vision Expo and Awards was held under the theme, “Reimagining Ghana’s Future: CEOs at the Heart of the Reset Agenda.”