African leaders urged to create enabling environment …for entrepreneurship, innovation
African leaders have been urged to create an enabling environment to nurture entrepreneurship and innovation.
That, according to the Convener of New Africa Leaders’ Summit and Honours, Dr Eno Praise, would help rebuild and position Africa as a leader in the digital age.
He was speaking at the opening of the New Africa Leaders’ Summit and Honours organised by the New Africa Magazine in collaboration with Ghana India-Trade Advisory Chamber (GITAC) in Accra on Wednesday.
The conference, on the theme ‘Rebuilding and Rebranding Africa; the African Way,’ sought to change the prevailing Western narrative about Africa, and highlight the continent’s unique strengths and potential.
It provided the platform for African CEOs, investors, bankers, policymakers, industry experts, educators, and innovators to discuss strategies for economic growth and development while shaping the African narrative and showcasing the continent’s successes and solutions.
Dr Praise said Africa had for far too long been overshadowed by narratives of poverty, conflict, and underdevelopment which needed to be changed.
“We are a continent of immense diversity, rich cultures, abundant resources, and most importantly, resilient people. It is time to shed the shackles of the past and embrace a new narrative—a narrative of progress, innovation, and prosperity,” he added.
He said rebuilding and rebranding Africa lay in recognising the vast potential that “lies within our borders,” adding that “our natural resources, from mineral wealth to renewable energy sources, hold the key to sustainable development. Our cultural heritage, vibrant arts, and diverse tourism opportunities make us a global destination.”
Dr Praise underscored the need to invest in education, skills development, and research to empower the youth and equip them with the tools needed to succeed.
The Chief Executive Director of Environmental Protection Agency, Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, said rebuilding and rebranding Africa in the governance system demanded leadership to take up the major role of providing accountability, respecting human rights, proper role playing of the rule of law and ensuring attitudinal change.
“Integrating African strength, we must implement policies discussed at summits like this to foster intra-African Trade,” he added.
The President of GITAC, Dr Dominic Oduro-Antwi, said it was time Africa limited “the talk and be realistic,” saying that seeking to promote partnership with the rest of the world was key to developing the African continent.
The Founder of the Summit, Dr Gift Chidimma Nnamoko Orairu, said the summit would provide a platform for African voices to be heard, demonstrating that “Africa is more than a sum of its problems; it is a powerhouse of innovation, creativity, and resilience.”
“As attendees converge in Ghana, they do so with the shared vision of a prosperous and united Africa that will rise above all challenges and take its rightful place on the global stage,” she added.
BY VIVIAN ARTHUR
