Private Sector Must Be Recognised as a Partner, Not a Competitor – Alex Dadey Advocates at UG ALUMNI LECTURE 2025

Delivering the 2025 University of Ghana Alumni Lecture at the Great Hall emphasized on “Public-Private Partnership  A Case Study of Responsible Corporate Citizenship,” the Executive Chairman of the KGL Group Mr. Alex Apau Dadey has called for a national shift in perception and policy to position Ghana’s private sector as a strategic partner in nation-building rather than a competitor to government.

Mr. Dadey urged government, policymakers, and industry leaders to embrace a renewed spirit of collaboration, anchored on trust, shared value, and national ownership. He said, “Governments do not create wealth  the private sector does. The government may set the rules of the game, but it is the private sector that plays it, with innovation, capital, and resilience,” he stated.

“The time has come for Ghana to move beyond seeing the private sector as a rival, and instead recognise it as a vital ally in national development.”

Tracing Ghana’s economic history, Mr. Dadey cited the collapse of once-thriving enterprises such as Siaw Industries, GNTC, and Neoplan Ghana as reminders of the country’s failure to protect and grow its indigenous businesses. He contrasted these with successful global examples like Tata Motors and Shoprite, which flourished through deliberate state support and policy alignment.

He underscored that the solution lies in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) underpinned by Responsible Corporate Citizenship, where business success translates into shared social and economic value. He emphasized that responsible businesses must aspire to become transgenerational  built on integrity, honesty, and trust, capable of outliving their founders and future generations. Mr. Dadey stressed that effective PPPs can bridge Ghana’s innovation and infrastructure gaps when built on clarity of vision, fair risk-sharing, and good governance.

“You see in every thriving economy, there comes a point where the government can no longer do it alone. The private sector must not only be involved  it must lead, but it cannot do so in isolation,” he emphasized. Calling for a renewed national mindset, the executive chairman asserted that Ghana’s economic independence will not come from aid, but from  ownership of resources, industries, and ideas driven by Ghanaians for Ghanaians.

He also spotlighted the critical role of the Ghanaian diaspora, that no country has developed or sustained progress without the engagement and commitment of its most valuable human resource  its diaspora further advocating for a shift from Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Diaspora Direct Investment (DDI), where global Ghanaians invest their capital, knowledge, and expertise back into the nation’s development.

Beyond developmental economics, he reinforced the importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in shaping responsible businesses and national sustainability.

He cited the KGL Foundation’s targeted initiatives in youth empowerment, education, health, arts and culture, and sports as practical demonstrations of responsible corporate citizenship. The Foundation has touched thousands of lives awarding over 300 scholarships to brilliant but needy students at all levels.

In sports development, KGL Foundation has been instrumental in the revival and sponsorship of Ghana’s U-17 Colts Football Programme and sponsorship of the black stars for four consecutive years, Furthermore, through its mental health advocacy and intervention programmes, KGL Foundation has partnered with health institutions and NGOs to extend support to the vulnerable and break the stigma surrounding mental illness.

In conclusion, Mr. Dadey called on all sectors  public, private, and the diaspora  to join hands in redefining Ghana’s development narrative. “The government cannot do it alone. Businesses cannot do it alone. Academia cannot do it alone. Communities cannot do it alone. However, together – when we bring our ideas, our resources, our knowledge, and our will – we can ignite transformation that will echo for generations. The time for convenience is past. This is the hour for conviction and partnership”.

sikkaNews