Editor of the Newscenta Newspaper, Elvis Darko, has criticised what he describes as a repeated cycle of business conferences in Ghana, calling instead for immediate and practical action.
His comments come in the wake of the recently concluded Kwahu Business Forum.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Monday, April 21, Darko expressed concern that valuable resources are being spent on forums that deliver little tangible benefit to entrepreneurs and the broader business environment.
He stressed that Ghana has long identified its economic challenges, and what is needed now is decisive implementation—not more dialogue.
“We just waste money on talkshops. Look, we are not being realistic. If they want to tell you the budget for this particular meeting, it could set up a young person’s business. Who said that for the past 20 years, we have not known the problems of our business?
“Who said we do not know? We are not bold enough to take the steps which will make sure that this country moves forward. We only go and sit at conferences and talk and talkshops. That is why we are where we are.”
Darko further questioned the effectiveness of years of recurring conferences, pointing to longstanding reports that already highlight the issues.
“We have been having conferences upon conferences. Just look at the past two decades. Who doesn’t know? Every year, AGI [Association of Ghana Industries] prepares what they call the ‘AGI’s Top Ten Problems.’
“They hold a press conference and they tell the government, for businesses to grow in Ghana, these are the top ten issues that AGI feels as critical to business. The problems that must be solved, every year AGI makes it known, so why do you need a forum?” he questioned.
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