Brand Ghana Programme launched
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday launched the Brand Ghana Programme charging the officials of the Brand Ghana Office to work hard to erase cynicism among a large number of the Ghanaian populace to enhance confidence levels for more Ghanaian exploits.
He said it was time for Ghanaians not to dwell on negatives but believe in themselves and recount the nation’s success and see the opportunities available so as to work on them for more improved lives.
“If you succeed, we shall decorate you with the highest National Order,” the Vice President said.
The Brand Ghana Pragramme Office was announced by President John Evans Atta Mills in September, to establish a compelling image of Ghana by creating, co-ordinating and harmosnising a persuasive Brand Ghana positioning.
It is among other things to make products from Ghana more competitive, develop a Brand Ghana architecture, and position Ghana as a country of global preferred choice, as a nation or destination around the world, competing and working to promote trade, investment, events, tourism, domiciliation and to build her reputation.
Ghana is already recognized as the first African country south of the Sahara to gain political independence, a model of democracy, and safe and secured political environment with hospitable people, but the achievements, according to the Vice President, are not co-ordinated.
Vice President Mahama, therefore, charged the Brand Ghana Council and officials to co-ordinate the achievements and pluses of Ghana to create a positive outlook of the country within and outside.
“How many more products can we make Number One in the world? With branding you can add a lot of things,” the Vice President said.
He called on all Ghanaians to market Ghana with good conduct wherever they would find themselves, stressing that it was necessary that all bureaucracies removed to have “our acts together.”
Vice President Mahama expressed an expectation that the branding process would involve a public private partnership that would survive political powers, adding; “it must be a participatory process that must outlive any Government”.
Mr Ben Ohene Ayeh, Corporate Affairs Manager of the Ghana Tourism Authority, in a solidarity message from the Authority, announced that Ghana has been selected by FROMMERST, a research institution in the United States of America, as one of the 12 topmost leading tourism destinations in the world for the 2012, based on her holistic approach to tourism.
Vice President Mahama later inaugurated an eight member Ghana Brand Council chaired by Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communications.
The Vice President later unveiled the Brand Ghana logo.
Source: GNA