‘Stop associating businesses with political parties’-African leaders cautioned

African business leaders must stop associating their businesses to political parties to avoid political risk that will affect the stable environment currently existing in Sub-Sahara Africa, a renowned Financial Services Executive, Komi S. Klu has said.

Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), Annual Marketing Conference, on its theme of the year, “Democracy and National Cohesion: Marketing a new Political Paradigm”, he said there is the need for Africans to maintain the current medium to high status on political risk, by not aligning businesses to politics as it has the tendency of destroying the peaceful business environment in Africa.

He was speaking on the topic,” Managing Political Risk in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA)” and said SSA is not political riskier than the rest of the world and that achievement must not be jeopardized.

“African leaders must ensure they keep the environment for investors to come in and do business freely and stop supporting associating businesses to political parties,” he stated.

He added that, SSA countries are still perceived by the outside world to be risky because of historical factors that are no longer necessarily today’s reality.

“Countries like Ghana, Senegal and Benin have enjoyed stability and peaceful transfer of power for some time now,” he stressed.

In order to overcome the negative image he said, both SSA governments and economic actors must ensure they work together in ensuring a stable investment climate and also act professionally.

Mr. Klu said, government must build strong institutions rather than strong men, fight corruption (especially in the corridors of power) and dismantle crony capitalism (favoring friends and families and one ethnic group over another).

“They must also prevent and avoid expropriating and other government interference in business and promote the rule of law and a strong, trustworthy judiciary,” he added.

On the part of organizations and other political actors, he said, they must avoid corruptive activities, combat crony capitalism, remain political neutral and trust and deal with the country’s institutions not just political authorities.

“They must avoid supporting a political party or leader, support just and equitable courses and develop a strong culture of Corporate Social Responsibility,” he stated.

On her part, Chairperson of the occasion, Dr. Doris Dartey, a Media Consultant, expressed gratitude to the CIMG for the initiative adding that the conference will deepen understanding about the study and practice of marketing in Ghana.

She added that, the conference would also go a long way to ensure peace in Ghana, before,doing and after the general elections.

President of CIMG, Kojo Mattah added that, the two-day conference which would end today, will dissect the theme and ensure that everyone understands the need to ensure peace in the country.

The theme he said, the theme is CIMG’s contribution to peaceful elections as the country must still exist after the general elections.

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