Encourage private sector to help solve poverty problems – Kufuor

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has emphasized that government ought to support the private sector since their success or otherwise will reflect on the development of the country.

Speaking at this year’s Jospong Group of Companies’ Thanksgiving Service, Friday, Mr. Kufuor noted that no government could develop a country without the private sector, the reason it should create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

“I do not know anywhere on earth where poverty has been used to cure poverty. You need to create the wealth to be able to help the not-so-privileged. You need to be able to have the wealth to fix the safety net. For equality of opportunity, give education to people, do as Jospong is doing – cleaning all the firth that sometimes piles to the levels of skyscrapers.

“When Jospong came with this whole initiative, engaging so many young people to clean our neighborhood, we were startled and said this is what should be happening. It was an integral part of the vision and policy of my government. That the government should partner the private sector to do all the jobs society needs to be done for it,” he said.



Kufuor further counseled that profits made by private businesses should not be government’s concern once it is achieved legitimately.

“Although it is not the right thing for companies to make unreasonable profits, we should not raise issues when some are doing so well because they end up paying taxes… The private person with his initiatives we should not envy him. We should encourage him to do more,” he said.

The former President was sure his party will expand the enabling atmosphere for the concept of Public Private Partnership (PPP) to be realized to achieve the social and economic transformation for the country just as it did some years ago when he was at the helm of affairs.

The event held at the forecourt of the Zoomlion Ghana Headquarters at Adenta in Accra, had representatives of other companies, including state officials. This year’s edition was also used to honour former President Kufuor as he celebrated his 79th birthday.