Opinions of Saturday, 18 June 2005

Columnist: Adomako-Gyimah, Julian

Ghana, What is wrong?

I have been following the "Kuffour Hotel" saga and after a long silence, I think this is the right time for me to talk and voice out my opinion. Investment is good for every citizen and country as a whole and I believe investments aren't meant to be made by the rich in society. In this modern era, starting up a business isn't all about initial capital because one can easily get finance for as long as he/she presents a feasible and viable business proposal to a financial institutution or individuals. Most finance gurus will argue that, the best way to start a business or in other words, the best source of finance is debt for as long as it is insured.

This is an idea that has been utilised by the likes of Ernest Chemist and all the big business men than we admire so much. Business is only for businessmen and it is as simple as that. A potential investor takes his chance for as long as he weighs the risk and comes out with a positive result and it doesn't matter what your background is or who your parents are. Gone are the days when one needed to be rich to build hostels, factories and what have you. You can come from the poorest family in society and come up with a very big venture that would become the cornerstone of entrepreneurship and this can be seen in the likes of Branson and Dean Howard (who stood against John Kerry).

It isn't a crime for a President's son to build the biggest hotel in the country for as long as he has the necessary vision and ambition to manage it. Who actually came up with this whole issue because it only shows the ignorance of the media and the citizenry as a whole because this is no issue at all. Chief as the President's son is called might have sold his property in London in the same way as his business associates and that could have raised a huge capital for the venture. Once this has been done, any financial institution around the world could be consulted for a long term loan based on the viability and pay back period of the investment.

The fact that, he is the President's son should not and I repeat should not stop him from coming out with the biggest entrepreneurial drive because he is not after our money whatsoever. He understands business and knows where to get the necessary finance to turn his dream into reality ( i.e. th banks and finance companies). We might have to compel the the Ghanaian media to redefine corruption because they seem to use it wrongly to the detriment of society. The children of most western leaders are able to run businesses and acquire property without any problems whatsoever so why can't our leaders' children do the same?

I would advise the Ghanaian public to stop making unnecessary noise about this hotel business because a man of Chief's calibre (an accountant from the UK) can acquire business even worth more that this hotel without any problem. Anybody who doubts this should come up with a viable proposal and I can surely help them secure a loan to finance this idea or proposal. President Kuffour should be left to rule in peace instead of this higgledy piggledy move the media is driving at because it will only expose the ignorance and the lack of education on the part of our "bogus Journalists" who only seem to cause trouble and nothing else.

Wake up and seek answers from the right people for the good of our nation. The lady behind this should also shut up and stop being bitter for getting the sack from the honourable President Kuffour. I am no politician but the truth needs to be told at the right time. Long live our economists and finance gurus who understand the world of business.



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