KGL chief calls for private sector to lead Ghana’s growth
Alex Apau Dadey, executive chairman of KGL Group, urged a national shift that treats the private sector as a partner in nation-building rather than a rival during the 2025 University of Ghana alumni lecture at the Great Hall. He called on policymakers, government officials and business leaders to embrace renewed collaboration grounded in trust, shared values and national stewardship. Dadey said private enterprise generates wealth through innovation, capital and resilience, while government sets the rules that enable growth.
He pointed to the collapse of local firms such as Siaw Industries, GNTC and Neoplan Ghana as evidence that indigenous businesses need stronger nurturing, and contrasted those outcomes with the success of foreign firms that benefited from deliberate state support. The executive argued that public-private partnerships anchored in responsible corporate citizenship, fair risk sharing and good governance can close innovation and infrastructure gaps. He urged greater engagement from the diaspora through Diaspora Direct Investment alongside other financing channels.
Dadey highlighted environmental, social and governance practices and cited the KGL Foundation’s work in youth empowerment, scholarships and sports, and its partnerships on mental health. He ended by calling for collective action from government, business, academia and communities to drive a sustainable, transgenerational transformation.
