It is a shame for Ghanaian leaders to be flocking to Dubai as a tourist destination, a former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Professor Stephen Adei, has said.

The educationist could not understand why Ghana geographically lies on a better part of the globe but its leadership has failed to develop the country to make it a destination worth visiting, while Dubai, a desert city, has been transformed to become a place of interest to tourists across the world including Ghanaian politicians.

Speaking at a Business Roundtable organised by Yamson and Associates in Accra on Wednesday 31 May, Prof Adei said: “Isn’t it a shame that our Ghanaian leadership now have as their destination, Dubai? Have you thought about it?”

“Dubai was and is a desert island in the midst of the Indian Ocean. We are so blessed we are in the centre of the world. Distance-wise, everywhere in the world, the shortest distance is to operate from Ghana, but Ghana Airways is now a restaurant.”

Professor Adei added: “Singapore is rock of rock in the midst of the Indian Ocean which was only useful as a military post but is now the best place to live on earth according to a ranking…”

The fourth edition of the annual Business Roundtable is on the theme: Making Ghana Entrepreneurial.

The programme is being held at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra and meant to explore how Ghana can become prosperous.

Speakers used the opportunity to examine how government, policy makers, regulators, and the public sector can become entrepreneurial in their approach to the business of government and how they can, through the creation of a sustained enabling operating environment, effectively facilitate entrepreneurship by the private sector, the social sector, and other stakeholder institutions in Ghana.

It also provided the opportunity for all the stakeholders to examine how they can become more entrepreneurial, more agile, and better able to assess risks; competitively leverage opportunities in the environment and become less dependent on political patronage.

Speakers at the event include businessman Dr Daniel Mackorley, founder and leader of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dr Mensa Otabil; Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Chair of Yamson and Associates Dr Ishmael Yamson, CEO of Dream Oval Derrydean Dadzie, and a host of other distinguished persons.