Do Endless Possibilities Not Exist For Ghana's Private Sector To Boom - Through Lateral thinking?

It is safe to say that the importance of the private sector,  in the creation of desperately needed jobs for Ghana's teeming unemployed, is not lost on any of the political parties in the Ghana of today.


Clearly, for the Ghanaian private sector to grow in a sustainable manner, it must have access to relatively inexpensive  long-term capital. Surely,  the time has come for some lateral thinking on the part of our ruling elites to make that a reality?


Why not take advantage of the doldrums much of the financial services sectors  in Europe and north America  are  in  presently - and create a conducive environment here for their services?


Made aware of the many opportunities existing here for European and American private equity firms willing to venture here,  even the presence here of a handful of pioneering entrepreneurs from within their ranks,  could make a huge difference to the fortunes of Ghanaian entrepreneurs.


Such awareness ought to be  created somehow. And I am aware that a few  media professionals (my humble self being one), keen to help create an entrepreneurial culture amongst young Ghanaians,   are doing what they can in that  direction.

Through the use of tax incentives, the Ghana government  could  encourage overseas private equity firms to fund projects by  Ghanaian entrepreneurs.


If their  revenues were made tax-free for say twenty-five years,  working with overseas  private equity firms, for example,  Ghanaian entrepreneurs could undertake infrastructure projects such as building thermal power plants to utilise  Ghana's natural gas deposits,  and   the Accra-Paga railway line,   on  a build operate and transfer basis.


And if the Ghana government could lobby all the member-nations of the African Union (AU)  to agree to the declaration of    the continent as one open-sky for African airlines,  that could be of some help to Ghana's private sector.


If that were  done, would it not be  feasible and possible for a Ghanaian entrepreneur,  to  set  up a pan-African airline using the low-cost carrier business model, to provide safe flights within Africa and from Africa to Europe and north America, for example?


And given the necessary tax incentives,  would it not be possible for a Ghanaian entrepreneur to build a bridge across the. Volta River by leveraging private equity financing  from Europe or America?


With respect (and said very humbly, dear reader), some of us are able and willing to introduce them to overseas entrepreneurs who are experienced African  private-sector hands,   with impressive  track records   and access to private equity firms in the US and Europe.

Endless possibilities do actually exist for Ghana's private sector to boom - through the application of  lateral thinking by our nation's political  and business elites. Having been thus  prompted, one hopes  they will  put their thinking caps  on,  for Mother Ghana's sake. A word to the wise...


Tel: 027 745 3109.


Email: peakofi.thompson@gmail.com