Ghanaian businesses must make quality standards a gateway to global markets, Nana Kwadwo Marfo Ampong I, Aboafoɔhene of the Traditional Council of Kona, has said.
He made the call on Saturday while delivering the keynote address at the 9th Ghana Business Standard Awards 2026 at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, Accra, urging businesses to build systems that guarantee quality, consistency and global competitiveness.
Nana Ampong said businesses must move beyond the resilience developed from operating under difficult conditions and build strong systems capable of supporting sustainable growth.
He said Ghana had the potential to produce goods and services capable of competing globally, urging businesses to look beyond the domestic market and target opportunities in food, pharmaceuticals, technology, intellectual property and professional services.
“The purpose of resilience is to survive the storm, not to make the storm a permanent address,” he said.
Nana Ampong said hardship could produce ingenuity, but only functional systems could give businesses the capacity to scale and compete sustainably.
He said patriotism might encourage consumers to buy local products once, but quality and consistency were what would bring them back.
According to him, global trade often involved transactions between people who did not know one another, making trust a critical requirement for businesses seeking to compete internationally.
“Standards are one of the ways modern trust between strangers is established,” he said, stressing that standards should not be viewed merely as paperwork or regulatory requirements.
He said adherence to quality standards could open access to competitive global markets by assuring customers of safety, accurate measurement, controlled processes and consistent delivery.
Nana Ampong challenged Ghanaian businesses to make “Made in Ghana” synonymous with quality, reliability and competitiveness.
The Ghana Business Standard Awards, now in its ninth edition, recognises businesses and individuals promoting quality, excellence and adherence to standards as part of efforts to support national development.
