Executive Chairman of the KGL Group Alex Apau Dadey picked up two awards at the 7th CEO Summit held at Kempinski Hotel, Gold Coast City in Accra on Monday, May 2023.

The Board Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) was acknowledged as the Group CEO of the Year for Conglomerate Business and the Diaspora Business of the Year.

The awards are in recognition of KGL Group’s outstanding performance in the calendar year and massive contributions made in enhancing Diaspora relations thereby contributing to the Ghanaian economy.

Awards were presented by former President John Mahama.

Mr Dadey spoke on the topic “Economic Sovereignty: The Role of the Ghanaian Diaspora in achieving economic sovereignty and good corporate governance” and stressed the need for government to do more with policies and must take specific action to remove obstacles that hamper the ultimate goal of achieving economic sovereignty.

He added, “Ladies and Gentlemen, today you will find distinguished Ghanaians in executive positions here and abroad in every sphere of life - science, research and development, medicine, technology, law, education, religion, banking, enterprise.

"The Ghanaian Diaspora who have gained valuable skills, knowledge contacts and experience abroad should be incentivised directly to transfer more than remittances home. Everyone in this room, like me, has a story to tell.

"Unique and mutually related. We as a collective should commit to seeding business, training mentoring, partnering and opening new opportunities, together.

"This Government must do more with policies, specific action and focusing on our institutions. The Government must take specific action to remove the obstacles that hamper our goal - achieving Economic Sovereignty”.

He continued, “We note and welcome the Three Billion bailout negotiated by government with the International Monetary Fund. We have been here before.

"The team that led the successful negotiations are diasporans who have returned home and demonstrated tremendous capacity.

"This is our opportunity, ladies and Gentlemen, to implement coherent diaspora engagement policies. The Mantra is, and should be, DDI (Diaspora Direct Investment) for economic sovereignty”.

He ended by reiterating, “I end by answering the weighty theme set out at the very beginning. In my opinion, achieving Economic Sovereignty requires a careful, nuanced and coherent approach to engaging the Ghanaian diaspora, first and in particular.

"The KGL Group and I remain committed and optimistic that the formal coherent inclusion of our own diaspora with good corporate governance, a robust Public-Private partnership, and the right application of Technology can enable Ghana to deliver Economic Sovereignty”.

“I am excited about our future, a Ghana that is brave, bold and fearless, investing in and leveraging off the capacity and expertise of our own tried and tested diaspora, first, to be self-sufficient.

"We must transcend the age-old practice of leaning on returns of natural resources as staples for economic growth. In the new fast-paced global world, we must lean on the Ghanaian diaspora”.