The Managing Director of Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) Peter Ndegwa has re-iterated the vital role played by the private sector in the development of a nation. He said successful businesses have multiplying effects on the prosperity of every nation. Mr Ndegwa was speaking at the Ghana Economic Forum held in Accra, an annual event that seeks to bring together industry chieftains and leaders in civil society to discuss and debate key issues affecting the Ghanaian economy. Mr. Ndegwa said: “True leadership does more than build the structures, it has the ability also to shape and provide the specific architecture and direction of growth, to ‘build a better’ nation”. To illustrate, he presented the Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) initiative on local sourcing; explaining that last year GGBL joined with industry to spearhead an approach to government to encourage increased use of local raw materials in the brewing industry. This he said was done by providing graduated concessionary excise rates where a given percentage of local raw materials were used in production. “This approach has seen the creation of real economic growth in other countries where Diageo PLC, the parent company of GGBL operates, providing livelihoods for farmers, a guaranteed purchaser of produce at a market price, enabling them provide for and educate their children and expand their operations.” Following the passage of the law, GGBL in December launched Ruut Extra Premium Beer Ghana’s first cassava based beer, brewed from 51% locally sourced cassava. This is the first of the steps intended to grow the use of locally sourced materials in production; supporting and increasing the livelihoods and development of local farmers and industry; investing in technology, innovation and equipment to make this possible. “GGBL firmly believes that beyond an obligation to return value to the community, ‘Doing Good is Good for Business’ and we choose to use our leadership to in this direction” he added. Mr Ndegwa also encouraged governments to provide a targeted policy and infrastructure that supports private sector growth – reliable water, energy and roads – and maintaining an open dialogue with industry in order to permit the growth of the private sector and economic prosperity for all.