Media's Anti-Local Business Bias 'Worrying' - KGL Chairman
Accra ,Ghana – In a pointed critique, Alex Apau Dadey, Executive Chairman of KGL Group, has cautioned the Ghanaian media to stop perpetuating a damaging narrative that undermines the success of local businesses. Speaking at the launch of the 29th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards, Dadey expressed disappointment at the media's tendency to lavish praise on foreign conglomerates while subjecting local companies to intense scrutiny and skepticism.
Dadey questioned the media's double standard, asking why they readily celebrate the successes of foreign companies while scrutinizing local ones. "The default reaction to successful local champions is often suspicion rather than celebration," he noted.
Why do we cheer foreign conglomerates but question the success of local ones?” he asked.
The KGL Group Chairman emphasized the critical role private enterprises play in national development, urging the government to treat them as partners in growth, not as risks or adversaries. "The government must stop treating the private sector as a risk to be managed or, worse, an adversary to be constrained," he urged.
Dadey's comments come amid controversy surrounding his company's contract with the National Lottery Authority (NLA). KGL Group has denied any wrongdoing, with Dadey's call for a more balanced and supportive approach to reporting on local businesses seen as a veiled response to recent media scrutiny.
The 29th GJA Media Awards, to be held under the auspices of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, will celebrate excellence in journalism. GJA President Albert Dwumfuor highlighted the essential role of journalists in nation-building and democracy, while Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu commended the GJA for sustaining the awards over the years.
Source – Lead News Online/Eugenia Boakye
