Economist and investment expert Kwame Pianim has called for stronger Ghanaian ownership of key financial institutions, arguing that domestic capital is critical to sustaining Ghana’s economic recovery and building a resilient capital market.
Mr Pianim made the call at the Debt Capital Markets Conference organised by Fidelity Bank in Accra under the theme, “Lower Rates, Higher Opportunity: Unlocking Growth Through the Debt Capital Markets.”
He used the occasion to highlight Fidelity Bank’s ownership structure, governance and succession planning as examples of the kind of homegrown institutional development Ghana needs.
According to him, strengthening local ownership of financial institutions would enable the country to mobilise and deploy more domestic capital for economic development while reducing dependence on external sources.
“If we strengthen the structures, the sources, and make sure that all these financial institutions are significantly owned, like Fidelity Bank, by Ghanaians, then we are on the right path, and then we will be dancing to our inner tune, not to others’ tune,” he said.
Mr Pianim also praised Fidelity Bank’s transition from its founding generation to a new generation of leadership, describing it as evidence of sound governance and institutional maturity.
He said businesses and financial institutions needed to prioritise honesty, prudent management and credible succession plans to maintain investor confidence and remain sustainable over the long term.
“Honesty, good management, and making sure that whatever you are doing, you are going to have a good succession plan like Fidelity Bank has done, the transition from the founders of the bank to a new generation,” he said.
Reflecting on Ghana’s economic performance over the past five decades, Mr Pianim cautioned against complacency despite recent improvements in the economy.
He stressed the need for continued fiscal discipline and stronger institutions to ensure that the current economic transition translates into sustainable growth.
He argued that investor confidence depends not only on economic indicators but also on the quality of governance and the ability of institutions to honour their long-term commitments.
The conference brought together institutional investors, financial sector stakeholders and market leaders to examine how Ghana’s debt capital markets could support investment and transform the country’s economic recovery into lasting and productive growth.
Mr Pianim’s intervention placed emphasis on the need for Ghana to deepen its domestic capital base and build institutions capable of supporting economic growth without excessive reliance on external financing.
