Opinions of Saturday, 7 April 2007
Columnist: Bolus, Mercy Adede
With reference to www.ghanaweb.com: General News of Sunday, 1 April 2007 Korea Ambassador calls on Asantehene
I would sound the alarm that Chiefs in Ghana must try and market their communities well as the international world is moving into Ghana and forging partnership deals. Many well developed countries are ideally looking for communites with well organised management structure with evidence based ethos of developments and not just talk talk form of management style.
Obviously, the Asantehene is smart enough to see the benefit associated in twinning with countries. Korea language itself is easy to understand and ones feel comfoprtable with them although we don’t speak the same language. They are not arrogant and have great respect for their elderly and culture. Our chiefs should not settle for a bottle of whiskey when companies move into their communities. Instead they should negotiate in business deals that would enhance, enrich their communties, re-generating economic growth and market shares in other businesses. They should try and fight to have a multipurpose complex libraries in all the villages, towns and cities as this is integral to our development. The books in the libraries need not be in English only but all other languages. Everybody should be encourgaed to use the libraries whether illetrate or ilterate. These days libraries in the developed world are serving as centres for free computer training for communities, children study times, video games and meeting areas. Well well, we need to congratulate the Otumfo Osei Tutu 11, Asantehene for helicopter vision hence grasping this unique opportunity for his people and Ghana.
Who can match the Asantehene strategic thinking skills? If a chief is just happy to accept only a bottle whiskey, this is the time for his community to hold him to account for failing them to flourish just like the Asantehene is doing.
His actions on this score would raise the awareness for other chiefs to do something for the community they claim they lead. Many do not have any clue of what to expect when the opportunity arises. Perhaps the smart individuals within every communities must ensure that their chief knows about the micro and macro environment of the Marketing world. They need to have a marketing audit and business plan ready in waitng so that, when the opportunity arises they as a leaders have something concrete to start the negotiating deals like the Otumfo.
There is a need for our chiefs to be assertive and perhaps negotiate with the our government their role in societal marketing and corporate social responsibility.
Excellent job done there. We need to congratulate this significant King trying to repeat the history of his ancestors. Take it or leave it the Otumfo has proved his worth to his people.
The package he has got from the Korean Ambassador, would not only transform Kumasi but also Ghana within the next 10 yrs. Business deals with follow ups are essential to close up deals and again the Otumfo has secured this too. Well done.
This time money would be made on our lands through process ensuring the these processes generate job opportunities for all our youths. Excellent job done.
Let’s give what is Caeser to Caesar!.
I would encourage all Churches, Mosques, local educational insitutions to consider following this classic example of the Otumfo an d be more assertive in working partnerhsip deals, focus in thinking of community developmental issues collectively rather than waiting for hand outs.