Let’s depoliticise entrepreneurship —Minority Leader

The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has called for the depoliticisation of entrepreneurship in the country to create an ecosystem where business owners can thrive without fear of being tagged or targeted.

“When we politicise local enterprise, we create an uneven playing field that stifles innovation and discourages risk-taking.

When this happens, it is foreign businesses that stand tall and dominate our markets while our indigenous enterprises are made to struggle,” he said.

He warned that this approach would hinder sustainable growth and undermine the competitiveness of indigenous enterprises.

Mr Afenyo-Markin, who is also the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Effutu in the Central Region, said this at the second edition of the Kwahu Business Forum at Mpraeso in the Kwahu South District in the Eastern Region last Saturday.

It was on the theme: “The Future of Business: The Role of the Financial Sector.”

Creativity

The Majority Leader said, “We must celebrate enterprise and actively cultivate an environment where hard work and creativity are rewarded.

“Entrepreneurship must not be viewed through a political lens.

The success of a business should never depend on which political regime is in power, nor should it be stifled by partisan labels.

“Our role as political leaders is not to frustrate private sector actors, but to foster a fair and enabling environment where merit, innovation and hard work thrive,” he said.

Mr Afenyo-Markin also called on politicians to support young entrepreneurs and innovators based on their potential, creativity and drive, rather than their political affiliation.

He emphasised that the country’s future should be built on merit, not partisan loyalty, to create a fair and competitive nation.

He added that opportunity should be extended to deserving individuals regardless of their political colours, to foster a truly progressive society.

This approach, the Minority Leader said, would help build a nation where talent and hard work are rewarded, rather than political loyalty.

“Ghana's future cannot be built on partisan loyalty; it must be built on merit.

Those who deserve opportunity should be given the opportunity, regardless of political affiliation.

That is how we build a nation that is fair, competitive, and truly progressive,” Mr Afenyo-Markin stated. 

Orientation

The Minority Leader also proposed the establishment of a National Orientation Programme aimed at instilling a renewed sense of civic responsibility, discipline, hard work, and enterprise in the Ghanaian national psyche.

The programme, he said, should be targeted at the youth to shape a new mindset that values hard work over shortcuts, merit over connections, and contribution over entitlement, and added that it could play a transformative role in reshaping national attitudes and promoting a culture of excellence which would be rewarded and sustained.
 

Financial sector

The Effutu legislator called on financial institutions to also play a more proactive role in supporting local enterprises and not only provide capital but also create the opportunities that would allow these businesses to grow, and ultimately contribute to job creation on a national scale.

He also emphasised a need for the financial sector to adjust its approach and become more attuned to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those led by young Ghanaian entrepreneurs.

“We must bridge the gap between access to finance and entrepreneurial potential by developing financial products and solutions tailored to the specific challenges faced by our local businesses,” he added.