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29.07.2016 Social News

'The joy of Leadership is not in material possession'

By GNA
'The joy of Leadership is not in material possession'
29.07.2016 LISTEN

Accra, July 29, GNA - Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, the Okyehene, has urged African leaders to use their countries resources to improve on the lives of their people instead of amassing wealth for their own interests.

Speaking at the Ghana Institute of Safety and Environmental Professionals (GhISEP) 2016 Summit in Accra, he said for any country to achieve its desired goals it was incumbent on the leadership to desist from using public funds to enrich themselves.

'Leaders should prioritise the needs of the country and provide some basic necessities for its people if the country wants sustainable development.

'Tell African leaders that the joy of a leader is not in material possession but the ability to provide and confidently ask themselves what they have done for their people. We cannot be called the cradle of human civilisation and yet 35 per cent of the people don't have toilet facilities.

'Leadership in Africa continues to break the principle of priorities,'' he said.

The Okyehene noted that in the current social and economic environment, only leaders who were creative would be able to move beyond the conventional methods of doing things and adopt methods that would move with the times and address the challenges confronting their country.

He attributed the falling standards of education in the country to the failure of various governments to make education a major priority especially the welfare of teachers.

He said teachers should be provided with the necessary logistics and their needs given a priority adding; 'buildings don't teach, learning materials don't teach, teachers do.'

The Okyehene noted that the key component of democracy is accountability and freedom of speech and, therefore, urged the people to demand accountability from their leaders.

Mr Bright Bansah, an Executive of the Institute, said the summit was to promote the advancement of occupational health and safety.

'GhISEP believes in the philosophy of safe work in a sustainable environment and seeks to champion this through professional excellence,' he said.

He said more programmes on workplace safety and environmental protection would be rolled out to sensitise workers in the future.

The summit brought together about 50 professionals in the oil and mining industry, academia and some regulatory bodies.

The Ghana Institute of safety and Environmental Professionals is a body that ensures occupational health and environmental safety in Ghana.

GNA

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