Africa's future not in the hands of government but private individuals – Otabil

The future growth of Ghana and Africa lies in the hands of private individuals who create the opportunity and make it possible for others to be pulled along, head Pastor of the International Central Gospel Church has said.

Dr Mensa Otabil reiterated that a country’s progress does not depend on government or state institutions but the effective use of “policies and regulations to build and empower people”.

He was of the view that through this, the continent can build business institutions which will not attract the interference of outsiders in the opportunities being created internally.

Pastor Mensa Otabil was speaking at the 2018 Festival of Ideas organized by Legacy and legacy under the theme: “Leveraging strategy technology and best practices.”

Citing China as an example, Dr Otabil noted that Asian country bound by years of autocratic state control, have been able to break out from their confines and become a tiger devouring the world and achieving the impossible.

According to him, this can only be achieved when Africans free themselves from the “self-imposed siege mentality.”

He emphasized that Africans must begin to challenge, inspire and create opportunities by expanding their thinking and daring to do the impossible.

“There has to be the breaking of the siege. There has to be people who step out and do the bold things and the people who step out to do the bold things may not even be the most brilliant people. They may not have all the best ideas, they may not even have the best education,” he said.



He further argued that most of the people who have done great things in the world and end up breaking the siege were not necessarily the crème de la crème in the society but those who usually did not “fit the mode”.

"But they are the game changers. They are the ones who make the difference. Yes, we can get people who fit the mode but if we want to grow this continent and this nation, we are going to get some lepers who will change the discourse and change the direction. And I believe the future in Africa, for Ghana, for all of us entrepreneurs is to empower and create this atmosphere that makes people go out and make the difference," he averred.