Economist and Investment Banker, Kwame Pianim, has called for the protection of investors and entrepreneurs in the country because they are key national assets.

According to him, investment is the cradle and incubator for unleashing the entrepreneurial talent of the nation.

He, therefore, called on the Bank of Ghana, the Ghana Bankers Association, accountancy groups, among others to educate Ghanaians on financial literacy.

Speaking at the Tesah Capital Dialogue Series on Investment, on the topic: “Investing in Ghana: My Journey and Lessons”, Mr. Painim said “investing is the cradle and incubator for unleashing the entrepreneurial talent of our nation. And all of us must decide and agree that investors and entrepreneurs are national assets and we must learnt to nurture and protect them us a nation.”

Macroeconomic environment is key to investment

Mr. Pianim pointed out that the macroeconomic environment is very key in boosting the investment environment, hence policymakers must do their best to always stablise the macro environment.

He pointed out that an unstable macroeconomic environment could erode gains of investments.  

Sharing his personal experience, he said "my first investment goal was to own my house by the age of 45. So I invested in a 10 year life policy to earn a ¢100,000 to buy our dream house though the ¢100,000 will buy you two dream houses then. I got a ¢100,000 alright after 10 years, but the exchange rate had moved from ¢1.1 to $1 to ¢3.50 to $1, so as my friend Yaw Osafo Marfo reminds us, we all eat macroeconomics.”

 “The investment landscape in Ghana can be exhilarating, fulfilling as well as very stressful. An unstable macroeconomic environment is our Achilles heel. It demands running fast to sound ground. We trust some of the takeaways and lessons from our journey will help new investors keep their heads above water as they navigate through", he added.

He further said “continue we must; others have succeeded largely because nobody told them their dreams were impossible though beware of the macroeconomic thief.”

Investment is a calculated business

Mr. Pianim also said investment is a calculated business and therefore no investor should invest with his/her heart

“Investments is a calculated business, do not invest with your heart. I got involved in sea fishing; out of a misery of a fisherman trained in Russia. He has been arrested in one of the many military takeovers and the wife came to see me in Tema. I told a colleague of mine who was in charge, please investigate quickly. They did it, he had done nothing wrong, he was released. I asked him, what do you do and he said he was a fisherman trained in Russia. Due to him, I got two friends together we bought a boat and I still remember it”, he noted.

The renowned economist concluded, urging all to support the relative peace that the country is enjoying today because it is a key tool to a successful investment.

“This beautiful and amazing nation has abundant resources, both human and material, and opportunities. With all its imperfections, the relative peace we’re enjoying today in this nation is an envy of many, we must protect it”, he pointed out.