The First Lady interacting with the women executives at the event
First Lady Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo has appealed to business leaders to help brand Ghana to develop businesses.
According to the First Lady, business leaders must use their time and resources to drive the process of rebranding Ghana for business growth.
“I challenge you as business leaders to see branding Ghana as a corporate social responsibility,” she said.
Mrs Akufo-Addo said all over the world, countries were competing to attract business, investment and tourism by adopting the same brand building rigor used by global businesses to gain competitive advantage.
“The fact is, we are in competition with the rest of the world for limited investment, so we have no choice than to get on with the business of rebranding Ghana as the preferred investment destination, not only in Africa but globally,” she explained.
Mrs Akufo-Addo disclosed this while speaking at the maiden edition of the Executive Women Network (EWN), Annual Conference themed, “Rebranding Ghana To Drive Business Growth: The perspective of Women Leaders.”
The day’s event brought together hundreds of women leaders from senior management and executive positions and women entrepreneurs to deliberate on how to encourage women in politics, business, academia and all sectors of the national economy.
She commended the participants for growing the businesses and brands that have been entrusted to them over the years, adding that “many of these are multinational brands that you have built and managed exceptionally well over the years.”
She however noted that often, the work of branding Ghana is left solely in the hands of government institutions such as the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC).
“But you see we will make no meaningful progress in this regard if we, as leaders, do not play an active role in how our country is positioned in the minds of the rest of the world,” she added.
The First Lady said that the conference was not solely about what government can do, but what collectively women leaders can do to rebrand Ghana to drive business growth.
Freda Duplan, Chairperson of the EWN, in her welcome address, highlighted how the network began with six women executives and within a little over a year grew its membership base.
“From a handful of Ghanaian women leaders, today EWN has over 100 members across different sectors of the economy,” she said.
She said the conference was to create the platform for women leaders to make Ghana a better place for all by leaving a legacy of a prosperous country and continent for the next generation.
“Creating that future begins with changing our narrative and purposefully rebranding our country to foster business growth and profitable partnership,” she said.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri