The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry

held its Second Edition of the Chamber Business Awards 2017 under the Theme: “Empowering The Private Sector To Move Ghana Beyond Aid” which was graced by Nana Otuo Siriboe II, who is the Special Guest of Honour and Chairman of the Council of State and Omanhene of the Juaben Traditional Area.

In his address, he commended the Chamber for playing a very significant role in the growth and development of the private sector in Ghana. As may be known to some of us, through the pre-independence and post-independence era, the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry has played a great role in the prosperity of the private sector. It is from this unique history that he associated himself with the Chamber and gracefully accepted to be the Special Guest of Honour without blinking an eye. He expressed his profound gratitude to the President of the Chamber, Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawoso I, Council Members, Awards Committee Members, supporting staff, sponsors and partners for their relentless support towards this event. 

He stated that, the theme for this year’s award ceremony, “Empowering the Private Sector to Move Ghana Beyond Aid” is peculiarly appropriate as it seeks to mobilize the needed private sector support to achieve the vision of a Ghana beyond Aid.  “With all the natural resources that God has endowed Ghana with such as gold, bauxite, diamonds, oil, timber, cocoa, water, fertile land one wonders why after 61 years of independence we cannot extricate ourselves from foreign aid.   To reverse this trend of Ghana’s over reliance on foreign aid and to transform the Ghanaian economy and create prosperity for all on a sustainable basis requires a paradigm shift in the way we plan and execute our developmental agenda, he noted. For this vision to become a reality in the not too distance future will require the support of all stakeholders. It is therefore a shared responsibility involving multiple actors, with Government providing direction.” The role of the private sector in this vision cannot be overemphasized. It is for this reason that I commend the Chamber for taking this bold decision to mobilize private sector support for the Ghana Beyond Aid. The call to empower the private sector to make this vision a reality must be embraced by all.