Unity is crucial for Africa’s development - John Hardy-Bey

The President of Africa Shea Limited, John Hardy-Bey, has said that unity is crucial for Africa's development.

He said this during his courtesy call with the Vice-Chancellor of the SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) in Wa.

The aim of the visit to the Upper West Region was to engage with key players in the shea industry and explore potential partnerships with the university to drive mutual growth and development by exploring potential partnerships in research and estate development.

"We need to learn from their approach—China and America: they learn, duplicate, and most importantly, they have unity. Africa has 1.6 billion people, but we're fragmented into 54 countries with many different voices. We need to come together as one, speak with one voice, and work towards a common goal. Let's start here in Ghana, united and strong. With one voice, we can build a brighter future for this country and create better opportunities for our people,” John Hardy-Bey said.

Hardy-Bey also underscored the importance of industrialization in nation-building.

"I don't believe in relying solely on aid. Aid can create dependence and hold you back. In 1970, Africa was thriving, but despite billions of dollars in aid since then, the continent is struggling. Aid alone doesn't work. We need to build industries to create a strong nation. Industries are the backbone of any great country, just like they are in America. To truly progress, we must focus on building industries and promoting economic development," he noted.

Professor Emmanuel K. Derbile, Vice-Chancellor of SDD-UBIDS, welcomed the initiative, stating that they could collaborate in the areas of research and estate development.

“As a university with a mandate for practical training and relevant research, we can collaborate in research and training. Specifically, in industrialization and agro-processing in the Shea sector, we can connect and make a meaningful impact. Regarding infrastructure, as you may have noticed while driving in, we have ample land but a huge deficit in infrastructure for a new university. Therefore, if we can bridge part of this infrastructure gap through a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement acceptable to all stakeholders, that would be desirable,” Professor Derbile indicated.

President of Afyef and Vice President of Zuri of Africa Shea, Siita Sofo Hissan, announced that they had engaged in discussions with the university alumni to explore investment opportunities in hostel infrastructure development.

“We have been in talks with the alumni association to support the construction of modern hostel facilities and identify other potential investment areas."

"Additionally, we are seeking to establish a state-of-the-art hotel and conference center that can accommodate various events and programs. We are here to pay a courtesy call and further discuss these exciting opportunities,” he disclosed.