“Ghana Beyond Aid’ to my mind describes a Ghana that is able to reduce imports through industrialization. The slogan can be literally explained in its pure literal discourse to mean Ghana doesn’t want help in any form.
Clearly focusing on the literal meaning limits one’s ability to appreciate its deep call to revolutionized the fundamental structures of our economy through digitalization, servant leadership and industrialization.
Remember, religion teaches us of God being the ONLY one who never and would never need help of any kind. Thus, Ghana not being God, would need aid! But for a leader to declare that a country doesn’t need aid; be sure he has the human resources and natural resources to change the fundamental structures of his country.
This the leader does through strategic appointments of resourceful and visionary persons into institutions that has a role of leveraging the untapped natural resources of the country.
Admittedly, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama’s appointment to be the second Board Chairman of Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC) was an appropriate, strategic and practical example of the creation of confluence of vision and mission.
Alhaji Farouk’s role of being the highest technical powerful person certainly has a bearing in the operationalization of the core mandate of the corporation’s activities whilst visible results are being felt every single day.
Just as Yendi is fortunate to have him as Member of Parliament; GIISDEC is not only fortunate but graciously lucky to have him lead the charge!
GIISDEC was established in March 2019 by an act of Parliament (Act 988). The vision of the corporation is to become a catalyst for Ghana’s accelerated industrialization agenda; this vision perfectly tied nod with the mission of the grandchild of Imoro Egala, former foreign minister of the First Republic between 1960 and 1961; Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama. The young energetic man with an innate mechanism of turning things around!
Yes, the president called on him to provide leadership as leadership changes everything! Leadership cannot be taught; it is an inborn quality which is always inherited. Do you doubt me? Just a whisper, his father was the Vice President of Ghana (2000 to 2008). You get it? The legacy of service continues!
GIISDEC’s vision and mission would lead to the exploration of Iron Ore deposits at Sheini, Opun-Mansi, Akpafu and Pudo in different regions of Ghana. Being the second Board Chairman of the Corporation means; leading the overall strategic matters, overseeing the group’s business and setting high governance standards.
In all these vex matters lies the mating of a self-mission of an individual leading a group and the vision of a corporation: Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama’s mission of unearthing opportunities to accelerate development and turn the tide of poverty for an improved society and humanity at large certainly resonates with the vision of the corporation he chairs.
This mission clearly manifests in the corporation’s people centered activities as seen in various dialogue and community engagements being led by no other person but the board chairman himself despite his preoccupied schedules.
As an action-oriented Board Chairman, GIISDEC has already engage a number of investors with one investor said to establish $1 billion iron and steel industry plant in Ghana. When this singular investment is carried out, the fundamental indicator of cedi depreciation can be reduced drastically as the importation of iron and steel would be reduced significantly.
Thus, Ghana’s agenda on industrialization which requires high demand for iron and steel would be met domestically with no foreign aid. Strategically, the board chairman also led a delegation to B5 company, one of the largest irons and steel company trading in iron and steel products not only in Ghana but also all over the West African countries.
This was a strategic move birthed and championed by the board chair who understands the local content management ecosystems in corporate governance.
Undoubtedly, GIISDEC is moving at a supersonic speed engineered by a Board Chairman whose mission fell in love with a corporate vision; consummated and sooner than later the offspring of a billion-dollar iron and steel plant will be birthed. The country shall smile and thank the son of Dagbon, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama for a job well done!!!
By Mohammed Fusheini
