Daniel McKorley, Executive Chairman of the McDan Group, has called on Ghana’s corporate leaders to step up and drive the country’s economic recovery, warning that the time for caution has passed and that harder times lie ahead.
Speaking at the launch of the 10th Ghana Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Summit in Accra, McKorley described Ghana’s economy as being at a critical point as it navigates a period of recovery and repositioning, saying leadership from the private sector will be essential if the country is to fully seize emerging opportunities.
He described Ghana as one of West Africa’s most attractive investment destinations, citing its population of over 30 million people, a growing middle class, and strategic access to the wider African market through continental trade integration. He was clear, however, that such advantages would count for little without decisive action from business leaders.
McKorley stressed the need for industrialisation to move beyond policy discussions into tangible implementation, particularly through value addition and local production, noting that macroeconomic indicators are improving but that the real impact must be felt at the micro level.
He also cautioned that the global business environment is set to become even more difficult, urging Ghanaian companies to prepare for harder times rather than waiting passively for conditions to ease. “The world is not going to be any sweeter or better. Things are going to be tough and tougher,” he said. “The world is moving faster than we think.”
Other speakers at the launch reinforced the call for execution over dialogue. The Country Partner of EY Ghana, Emmanuel Adekhalor, pointed to Ghana’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 5.9 per cent in 2025 and declining inflation as evidence that economic stability was achievable, while warning that such gains remained fragile and required deliberate efforts to sustain.
Chief Executive of the Ghana CEO Summit, Ernest De-Graft Egyir, described the 2026 edition as a decisive turning point, saying: “After 10 years of dialogue, Ghana must now enter a decade of execution. We must move from policy formulation to implementation, from ambition to results.”
The summit is scheduled for May 28, 2026, at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, Accra, under the theme: “Accelerating Ghana’s Economic Transformation: Driving Bold Reforms through Leadership, Technology, and Industrialisation for Sustainable Growth.” It will include a presidential Chief Executive Officer (CEO) dialogue and the launch of a CEO-Government Compact 2026, aimed at aligning national policy with private sector priorities across industrialisation, investment, and job creation.
