Brand Ghana needs forward looking structures — Oppong Nkrumah
The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has called for a strategic overhaul of Ghana's structures to ensure the nation is equipped for a forward-looking future.
Advertisement
He said with technology now driving development and progress, there was the need for Ghana to draw parallels between the nation's evolution and the strategies employed by corporate brands navigating a changing landscape.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the International Advertising Association’s (IAA) sixth Africa Rising Conference last Tuesday, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said it was important for Ghana to adopt innovative and adaptable structures to not only be abreast of the times but also remain relevant in the future.
Since its inception in 2015, the Africa Rising conference has been a pivotal event, drawing influential marketing communications professionals from Africa and around the world.
The conference featured a lineup of distinguished speakers including the Chairman and World President of the IAA, Sasan Saeidi, the President of the Advertising Association of Ghana, Andrew Ackah,the CEO of X3M IDEAS, Steve Babaeko, the Co-founder and MD of Zeepay, Andrew Takyi-Appiah among other notable dignitaries.
Bold decisions
Speaking on the theme "Building Future-Ready Brands," the minister stressed that just as corporate brands must define their purpose, “we as a nation must also articulate our overarching purpose,’’ emphasising that the process required confronting difficult questions and making bold decisions which must inure to the benefit of the country.
“Just as we are asking corporate brands to introspect and answer these critical questions to shape their purpose and be future ready, we as a nation must do the same.
He stressed that in planning either as corporate or a nation brand, to be future ready, there were some difficult considerations that needed to be made.
“We must take the tough decisions to take new paths without regard to whose ox is gored, so that we stand a better chance of being ready for the future rather than champions of the past,” he stressed.
Brand Ghana
Mr Oppong Nkrumah underscored the need for the nation to prioritise forward-thinking over being champions of the past.
He stressed that the path to a future-ready ‘Brand Ghana’ demands courage and a willingness to challenge the status quo, urging that this transformation must occur without regard to whose interests may be affected.
“We work for Brand Ghana, not political parties, religious groups or ethnic divisions," Oppong Nkrumah said, stressing the importance of defining a unified purpose for Brand Ghana that resonates with all citizens not just a select few.
“We must do better at setting out and upholding a set of norms that all of us, not some, will live by,” the minister stated.