Minister for Business Development, Ibrahim Mohammed Awal has said, media practitioners should dedicate enough attention to business development as they do politics.

Speaking at the Special Forum on Media and Business Development forum in Accra, under the theme, ‘Business development in Ghana; The role of the media’, the minister expressed concern about how the media does not use its power to aid business growth, which is a way of aiding national development.

“We need a media that is not too political. We devote too much space to political issues. Can we devote some amount of time also to business issues? The media must help government develop the nation. Business and media are bed fellows. Our media men and women can aspire to be successful business men and women as well,” he said.

Mr. Awal stressed on the President’s dream for businesses in the country and the need for the media to collectively make that dream a reality. He added that one problem that hinders business growth, is governance structures because businesses in the country fail to follow simple business practices.

“President Nana Addo has said he wants to make Ghana, the most business friendly nation in Africa and wants to urge our media to take that as a brand. Let’s take that as a brand, Ghana is ready and open for business. I want to challenge our media, that it is very important to partner businesses, partner government so that the president’s vision of making Ghana the most business friendly environment in Africa becomes a reality,” he mentioned.

He suggested that the media assist the government in educating businesses especially, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) to follow governance structures and best industry practices, to guarantee their success both locally and internationally.

Mr. Awal said “SME’s constitute about 90 percent of all businesses in this country and they contribute about 70 percent to GDP but they have issues as only 30 percent of SME’s are able to move to the first generation. They have challenges of finance and of capacity. The media must play a role in making sure that SME’s survive.

“The media must help the government create the environment that will make businesses thrive. Let’s have a deliberate effort of building Ghanaian business giants,” he added.

The minister commended the media for championing the fight against illegal mining in the country and encouraged them to continue to create space for issues that help tackle the growth of the businesses in the country.”