Ghana's Minister of Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, stressed the urgent need for a strategic transformation of Ghana's structures during a speech at the International Advertising Association's (IAA) 6th Africa Rising Conference. This was done to guarantee that the country was prepared for a promising future.

The Information Minister emphasized the critical need for Ghana to adopt creative and adaptive structures in his speech on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.

He drew comparisons between the development of the country and the tactics used by business brands to survive a continually shifting environment.

Under the theme “Building Future-Ready Brands,” the Minister stressed that just as corporate brands must define their purpose, Ghana as a nation must articulate its overarching purpose. This process, he explained, requires the courage to confront challenging questions and make bold decisions, all for the greater benefit of the country.

“Just as we are asking corporate brands to introspect and answer these critical questions to shape their purpose and be future-ready, we as a nation must do the same,” the Information Minister stated. He emphasised that, whether corporate or national brands, both must face difficult considerations.

In order to prepare Ghana for the future, he advised the people to be unafraid of letting go of outdated customs.

"We must take the tough decisions to take new paths without regard to whose ox is gored so that we stand a better chance of being ready for the future rather than champions of the past," he asserted.

In order to become a "Brand Ghana" prepared for the future, Mr. Oppong-Nkrumah emphasized the significance of prioritizing forward-thinking above clinging to the past. He emphasized that this required guts and a willingness to confront the current quo, regardless of who may be harmed.

“We work for Brand Ghana, not political parties, religious groups, or ethnic divisions,” the Minister noted. He further emphasised the necessity of defining a unified purpose for Brand Ghana that resonates with all citizens, not just a select few.

“We must do better at setting out and upholding a set of norms that all of us, not some, will live by,” the Information Minister urged. He stressed values such as community, integrity, responsibility, and entrepreneurship, calling for a collective commitment to these principles.

Sasan Saeidi, Chairman and World President of the IAA, Andrew Ackah, President of the Advertising Association of Ghana, Steve Babaeko, CEO of X3M IDEAS, Andrew Takyi-Appiah, Co-founder and MD of Zeepay, were among the speakers at the conference.

The Africa Rising conference has been a key event on the MarCom calendar on the continent ever since it started in 2015. With more than 400 attendees each year, it has continuously drawn powerful marketing communications professionals from Africa and other parts of the world. Africa Rising has been crucial in fostering a vibrant MarCom sector throughout the continent while furthering the IAA's mission there.