Kofi Bentil calls for focus on services sector

Mr. Kofi Bentil, a lecturer and Business Strategist says Ghana must make a conscious effort to focus on the services sector for economic growth.

The University of Ghana and Ashesi University lecturer, said a deliberate and concerted effort to turn Ghana into services based economy is desirable because the country can do better in the sector than any other.

Speaking on a Joy Business News bulletin Monday January 26, 2009, which was monitored by ghanabusinessnews.com, he said seeking to industrialized Ghana at this point would not work.

“If we don’t focus on it (services sector) we run the risk of exerting our energies in other areas and getting very little or nothing for it,” he said.

Comparing Ghana to China, he argued that it would be difficult to think that Ghana would ever be more efficient than China by emphasizing on industrilaisation.

Mr. Bentil said Ghana could made more money from her ports than cocoa if they are run efficiently to raise revenue.

He pointed out that Ghana has become the education capital of West Africa, “and this has happened without much government support,” adding that Ghana is also fast becoming the health centre in West Africa.

Mr. Bentil said, Ghana’s lawyers and other professionals can become regional lawyers citing the fact that Ghana’s banks are also quite credible enough to serve the West Africa sub-region.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi