Politics not money-making venture – Akwasi Acquah counsels youth

The Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda and the Vice Chair of the Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee in Parliament, Alexander Akwasi Acquah has advised the youth who are interested in taking political office in the future to establish themselves in their own businesses before pursuing any political office in the future. He said the notion that politics can make you rich over night is false. The Akyem Oda MP said with a vibrant civil society and several corruption control mechanisms in the country, the youth will be disappointed if they get attracted to the use of political power to enrich themselves. Mr Akwasi Acquah was contributing to the 4th edition of Ekosiisen National Dialogue series which was on the theme: Youth Entrepreneurship, the catalyst to Ghana’s Development and Financial Independence. He said entrepreneurship is taking advantage of governmental initiatives to establish busineses to ease the country’s wage bill. He said it is not for nothing that the NPP is often touted as champion of property owning democracy since the party believes in creating the enabling the environment for private businesses to start and to thrive. The MP who himself is an entrepreneur, said all the thematic policies of the current government are geared towards private sector development. The founder of Community Hospital Group which owns chains of hospitals in the country have always lauded the NPP government for introducing the national health insurance scheme, a policy which has resulted in the growth of private medical care in this country. He said young entrepreneurs who find themselves in politics are able to serve their constituents well with the state resources put at their disposal. Other government officials at the event who took turn to explain various government policies and how they relate to the development of private businesses included the Dep. Minister of Finance, Dr. John Kumah, the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industries, Michael Okyere Kofi Berfi, the CEO of Masloc, Hajia Abibata Shanno Mahama Zakariah, CEO of National Youth Authority, Pius Enam Hadjide and the CEO of National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, Kofi Ofosu Nkansah. The popular entrepreneur, Dr. Daniel Mc Korley graciously chaired the function.