President Nana Addo (middle) and some notable business executives in a group photograph at the event
President Akufo-Addo says youth unemployment would be confronted head-on by his administration.
According to the President, he would attain this with a skilled workforce which is ready to take advantage of the digital revolution.
Speaking at the opening of the 3rd Ghana Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) Summit in Accra recently, the President said: “We have to change the structure of our economy and transform the living standards of our people.”
Drawing positive parallels between a viable financial sector and rapid development of the country, President Akufo-Addo observed “we cannot afford instability and recklessness in the banking sector since any act of instability will affect the economy.”
Ernest De-Graft Egyir, CEO of the Chief Executives Network Ghana Limited, organizers of the Summit, emphasized that “Ghana cannot develop beyond the level of its leadership.”
“As our leadership effectiveness improves, our impact is multiplied in business, governance, in our police service, in schools, families, churches etc,” he said.
Mr Egyir called for “enduring policies” that would match those of international trade markets to create an enabling environment to drive the growth of the private sector and ensure consistent improvement in Ghana’s position regarding the decline in the Corruption Index and competitiveness rankings, etc.
“No matter how much innovation the business sector churns out, if there is no confidence in business processing and the perception of corruption is high, investment is stunted,” he added.
He said hitches in services in the public-sector domain have forced to investors to leave the country, noting that more work is required to move Ghana from being an appealing market to actually living it.
This year’s summit was themed: ‘Leadership, Innovation and Investment for Business & Economic Transformation.’
In attendance were over 500 top CEOs, business leaders, entrepreneurs, as well as government representatives.
Another unique feature of this year’s CEO Summit was the CEO Masterclasss facilitated by the two international speakers, Roger Harrop – the CEO expert – award-winning international motivational business growth speaker from USA, and Neville Gaunt – a renowned keynote speaker, author and CEO, Mind Fit limited, UK.
They touched on topics such as WIN: How to Succeed in the New Game of Business; and Increased Productivity through Behavioural Waste Management respectively.
The CEOs expressed confidence in government’s economic policies which they said had held the fluctuations in the economy in check in recent times.
They presented the President with a plaque signed by the business leaders.
Corporate executives and entrepreneurs also used the platform to build new networks and strike long-term partnerships.
Companies also exhibited their products and services to the audience at the summit.
It was organized by the Chief Executives Network Ghana Limited in partnership with Deloitte Ghana and GIPC.
By Samuel Boadi