The Executive Chairman of the McDan Group of Companies, Dr. Daniel McKorley, has called on the government to involve industry players in its policymaking processes.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, Dr. McKorley, also known as McDan, highlighted the importance of consultation and collaboration between the government and the private sector to ensure that policies are practical and beneficial.

In his view, the exclusion of business experts in policy design has often had significant hindrances to effective governance.

“Leadership has been one of our biggest problems in Ghana. Many a time, policies are made and the industry players are not involved.

“When policies are being enacted, I believe industry players must be consulted,” he told co-host Kojo Yankson on Wednesday.

According to him, the insights and experiences of successful entrepreneurs, especially those who have built their businesses from the ground up, are invaluable resources that the government should tap into when designing and implementing policies.

Dr. McKorley expressed frustration over the lack of consultation with business leaders, noting that their exclusion often leads to poorly designed policies that are doomed to fail.

“When policies are being enacted, I believe industry players must be consulted. We can support a sitting government in so many ways with our business ideas,” he said.

Dr. McKorley emphasised that industry veterans possess a wealth of knowledge that encompasses all aspects of building and sustaining a business, from the most challenging to the more straightforward parts.

“Some of us grew our business from the street, so we have the book; the soft, difficult, and the in-between parts of establishing a business,” he explained.

He recounted instances where he questioned the viability of certain policies, predicting their failure due to a lack of practical input from industry experts.

“I have never been consulted on a single policy. So it is difficult. I have seen many policies and I have questioned them. There are times I have said, ‘this is likely to fail’,” he said.

Dr. McKorley therefore urged the government to reconsider its approach and actively engage industry leaders in the policymaking process to create more effective and sustainable policies that can drive Ghana’s economic growth.