Shift from Rhetoric to Results — McDan to Private sector
Ghana’s business community has been challenged to take a more decisive role in steering the country’s economic recovery, amid growing concerns that improving macroeconomic indicators alone will not guarantee sustainable growth.
At the launch of the 10th Ghana Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Summit in Accra, Executive Chairman of the McDan Group, Daniel McKorley, underscored the urgency for corporate leadership to move beyond optimism and drive tangible outcomes across key sectors of the economy.
He warned that despite emerging signs of recovery, global economic conditions remain uncertain and could pose significant risks to local progress. “The world is not going to be any sweeter or better. Things are going to be tough and tougher,” he said, stressing the need for resilience and strategic agility among Ghanaian businesses.
Mr McKorley described Ghana as a compelling investment destination within West Africa, citing its population of over 30 million people, an expanding middle class and access to a wider continental market through the African Continental Free Trade Area. However, he emphasised that these structural advantages would yield meaningful benefits only if matched by deliberate execution, particularly in areas such as industrialisation and value addition.
According to him, while key economic indicators have begun to show improvement, the real test lies in translating these gains into measurable impact at the enterprise and household levels. He noted that Ghana’s growth narrative must shift from policy intent to practical outcomes that stimulate production, enhance competitiveness and create jobs.
Other speakers at the event reinforced the call for sustained action. Country Partner at EY Ghana, Emmanuel Adekhalor, pointed to Ghana’s 5.9 per cent GDP growth in 2025 and moderating inflation as evidence of economic stabilisation. He cautioned, however, that these gains remain fragile and must be underpinned by consistent and targeted reforms to ensure long-term resilience.
Chief Executive of the Ghana CEO Summit, Ernest De-Graft Egyir, framed the upcoming summit as a pivotal moment in the country’s economic journey. “After 10 years of dialogue, Ghana must now enter a decade of execution. We must move from policy formulation to implementation, from ambition to results,” he said.
The 2026 Ghana CEO Summit is scheduled for May 28 at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra. The event is expected to convene policymakers, business leaders and investors to explore strategies for accelerating economic transformation and strengthening public-private collaboration.
Key highlights will include a presidential CEO dialogue and the unveiling of a CEO-Government Compact 2026, an initiative aimed at aligning national development priorities with private sector investment and enterprise growth, particularly in industrialisation, job creation and investment promotion. As anticipation builds ahead of the summit, stakeholders are increasingly calling for a shift in focus from dialogue to delivery, insisting that Ghana’s long-term economic prospects will depend on its ability to convert strategy into sustained and inclusive growth.
