The Silent Poison in Parts of Ghana’s Business Culture

Introduction
There is a communication habit that I have repeatedly experienced in Ghana that I believe deserves serious national reflection.

I emphasize at the outset that I am using Ghana as my example because it is the country where I have personally observed these experiences. I do not claim that this behavior is unique to Ghana, nor do I suggest that every Ghanaian behaves this way. I simply believe that wherever this communication pattern exists, whether in Ghana or elsewhere, it quietly undermines trust, weakens business relationships, and limits economic opportunity.

The issue is surprisingly simple. A person calls. You do not answer. They leave a message. You read the message.

The WhatsApp blue ticks confirm that you have seen it.

Then… Nothing. Not because you are temporarily unavailable. Not because you intend to reply later that day. Sometimes there is no response for days. Sometimes weeks. Sometimes there is no response at all. The question that continues to trouble me is this:

What message are we trying to send?
From my perspective, this behavior comes across as disrespectful, discourteous, and unprofessional. Whether or not that is the person’s intention, it is often the impression left behind.

More importantly, it weakens trust, diminishes respect, and erodes relationships that could otherwise become productive and mutually beneficial.

A Lesson I Will Never Forget
Not too long ago, I hired a worker for a full day’s assignment. While I was standing beside him, his phone rang. Another client was calling. The caller explained that he had an urgent problem that needed immediate attention. Although the worker knew he had committed the entire day to my project, he confidently replied,

“I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”

The moment he ended the call, he switched off his phone. I was standing right beside him. I looked at him and asked,

“Why would you promise someone that you would be there in fifteen minutes when you know you are not leaving here today?”

He had no convincing answer.
At that very moment, something changed. My confidence in his workmanship did not disappear. My confidence in his honesty did.

The issue was never that he could not take the second job. The issue was that he deliberately chose an answer he knew was untrue instead of giving a simple, honest explanation.

He could easily have said,
“I’m sorry. I’ve already committed today to another client. I can come tomorrow morning.”

Most reasonable people would understand. In fact, many people would respect him even more for being truthful. Instead, two customers were left disappointed. One immediately. The other eventually.

The WhatsApp Blue Ticks. Many readers will immediately recognize another familiar experience. You send a polite WhatsApp message.

“Please call me when you have a moment.” Within minutes, the two blue ticks appear. You know your message has been read.

Hours pass. Then days.Then weeks. Nothing. Sometimes you send a follow-up. Again, the message is read. Again, silence. Eventually you stop trying.

What concerns me is not that someone is busy. Everyone gets busy. What concerns me is the deliberate decision not to communicate. Communication does not always require a lengthy explanation. Sometimes all it takes is one sentence.

“I’m unavailable today.”, “I’m fully booked.”, “I’ll call you tomorrow.”, “I won’t be able to help.”

Those few words preserve dignity, respect, trust, and relationships. Silence rarely does.

Silence Is Not Neutral
Many people think that saying nothing avoids conflict. In reality, silence communicates. It tells the other person that their time is less important. It tells them that their concerns are not a priority. Whether intended or not, it can communicate indifference. Eventually, people stop interpreting the silence. They simply adjust their behavior. They begin looking elsewhere. And that is where the real damage begins. The loss is rarely immediate. It is quiet. Invisible. Gradual. A customer quietly leaves. A referral quietly disappears. An opportunity quietly moves to someone else.

The person who lost the opportunity often never realizes why. That is why I describe this communication habit as a silent poison.

Like many poisons, it does not destroy overnight. It works slowly. It weakens confidence. It damages reputation. It discourages repeat business. Over time, it undermines the very trust upon which successful businesses are built.

Trust Is the Foundation of Commerce
As an International Commercial Law practitioner, I have come to appreciate that commerce is built on far more than contracts, tariffs, customs procedures, and legal frameworks.

The foundation of every successful commercial relationship is trust. Laws establish rights. Contracts define obligations. Courts resolve disputes.

But long before any of those mechanisms become necessary, businesses decide whether they trust one another enough to work together.

Every commercial transaction begins with confidence. Confidence that promises will be honored. Confidence that communication will be timely. Confidence that, when circumstances change, honesty will prevail over silence. When communication becomes unreliable, commercial risk increases. As risk increases, confidence declines. And when confidence declines, opportunities begin to disappear.

Governance Begins with Everyday Conduct
From a governance and strategy perspective, communication is not merely a courtesy, it is a governance discipline.

When people hear the word “governance,” they often think of governments, boards of directors, regulations, policies, or compliance frameworks. Those are certainly important. However, governance begins much closer to home.

It begins with accountability. It begins with honoring commitments. It begins with telling the truth when circumstances change.

Strong governance is reflected in transparency, reliability, responsiveness, and consistency. These principles apply equally to multinational corporations, government institutions, family businesses, sole proprietorships, and individual artisans.

Every unanswered commitment weakens confidence. Every broken promise diminishes credibility. Every deliberate avoidance chips away at trust. Good governance is not demonstrated only in annual reports or boardrooms.

It is demonstrated in everyday interactions, one phone call, one text message, one commitment at a time.

Technology Is No Longer the Excuse
As a Technology Strategist, I find this trend particularly troubling because we live in an age where technology has removed almost every barrier to communication.

We carry mobile phones every day. We use WhatsApp. We exchange emails. We send voice notes. We communicate through text messages.

Never in history has it been easier to respond honestly. This means the challenge is no longer technological. It is behavioral. It is cultural. It is professional. The problem is not that communication tools are unavailable. The problem is how we choose to use them.

Technology has given us extraordinary power to strengthen relationships. Unfortunately, when used poorly, it also makes it easier to ignore people while simultaneously letting them know they have been ignored. The WhatsApp blue ticks illustrate this perfectly. The technology has done its job. The human decision becomes the determining factor.

The Hidden Cost That Many Never See
Most people assume that if someone stops calling, they simply no longer needed the service.

I respectfully disagree.
Very often, they found an alternative. Many of us who value professionalism rarely argue. We rarely announce our departure. We simply move on. We quietly search for someone who communicates honestly.

When we find that person, we stay with them. The previous supplier may never know they have lost a customer. More importantly, they never know what else they lost. Perhaps that customer would have returned every year. Perhaps that customer owned several businesses. Perhaps that customer intended to recommend them to ten other people. Perhaps that customer knew an investor. Perhaps that customer knew a government agency. Perhaps that customer was prepared to introduce them to opportunities beyond Ghana. All of those possibilities disappear without announcement.

The greatest losses in business are often the opportunities we never knew existed.

Referrals Are Built on Trust
Throughout my professional career, I have had the privilege of knowing people across different industries, professions, and countries.

One principle has remained remarkably consistent. People protect their reputation.

Whenever we recommend someone, we place part of our own credibility on the line.

Before introducing an artisan, contractor, consultant, hotel, supplier, lawyer, accountant, engineer, or any other professional to someone we respect, we ask ourselves one simple question:

“Can I confidently vouch for this person?”

If the answer is uncertain, the referral simply never happens. No conversation. No confrontation. No explanation.

The opportunity quietly goes elsewhere.
That is why trust has enormous economic value. One satisfied customer may bring ten more. One disappointed customer may quietly prevent ten opportunities from ever arriving.

This Is Bigger Than Individual Businesses This conversation is not only about artisans.

It is not only about plumbers, electricians, carpenters, tailors, mechanics, or contractors. It applies equally to consultants. Professionals. Executives. Entrepreneurs. Government officials.

Business owners.
Anyone whose success depends upon the confidence of others. Professional maturity is demonstrated not by avoiding difficult conversations but by handling them honestly.

There is nothing unprofessional about saying, “I cannot do it.”. There is nothing embarrassing about saying, “I need another week.”. There is nothing wrong with saying,

“I have overcommitted myself.”
What damages credibility is pretending otherwise. Honesty may occasionally disappoint.

Dishonesty destroys confidence.
Why This Matters for Ghana and AfCFTA
Ghana has rightly embraced entrepreneurship, industrialization, exports, innovation, private sector development, and regional economic integration.

One of the greatest opportunities before us is the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.

AfCFTA is often discussed in terms of trade policy, customs procedures, tariffs, logistics, and cross-border commerce. Those are all essential.

However, there is another requirement that receives far less attention. Trust. Trade cannot flourish without confidence.

Businesses across Africa will not choose partners solely because tariffs have been reduced. They will choose partners they believe are reliable. Partners who communicate honestly. Partners who honor commitments. Partners whose word carries weight.

Every unanswered call. Every ignored message. Every broken commitment.

Every promise that is knowingly impossible to fulfill. Each one quietly weakens the trust upon which cross-border commerce depends.

The promise of AfCFTA will ultimately be realized not only through government policy but through millions of everyday business interactions between ordinary Africans.

Those interactions are built on trust.
Without trust, the legal framework alone cannot deliver its full promise.

The Way Forward
The encouraging news is that this challenge is entirely within our control. It does not require constitutional reform. It does not require billions of cedis in public expenditure. It does not require new technology. It requires a deliberate change in mindset. It requires us to recognize that every interaction is an opportunity either to build trust or to diminish it.

Every phone call we return, every message we acknowledge, every commitment we honor, and every honest conversation we have strengthens our personal reputation, our businesses, and ultimately our nation’s economy.

Likewise, every unanswered call, every ignored message, every broken commitment, and every avoidable silence slowly weakens the confidence others place in us.

Professionalism is not measured solely by technical competence. It is measured by integrity. It is measured by reliability. It is measured by accountability. And it is measured by communication.

As an International Commercial Law Practitioner, I have learned that commercial relationships are built on far more than contracts, tariffs, and legal frameworks. Those instruments provide the legal foundation for commerce, but trust is what makes commerce flourish. Without confidence in the people behind the contracts, even the strongest legal framework cannot create lasting commercial relationships.

From a governance perspective, accountability begins long before board meetings, audits, or regulatory compliance. Good governance is reflected in everyday conduct. It is demonstrated by keeping one’s word, communicating honestly when circumstances change, and respecting the time and expectations of others. These are not merely personal virtues. They are governance principles that strengthen institutions, businesses, and economies.

As a Technology Strategist, I also find this issue particularly significant because technology has removed nearly every barrier to timely communication. Mobile phones, WhatsApp, email, voice notes, and text messaging have made it easier than ever to communicate honestly. The challenge before us is therefore no longer technological. It is behavioral. It is cultural. It is professional.

This is why I believe the conversation extends beyond individual businesses. It extends to entrepreneurship. It extends to investment. It extends to customer confidence. It extends to Ghana’s competitiveness. It extends to the success of the private sector.

And it extends to the long-term realization of the promise of African Continental Free Trade Area.

AfCFTA is not merely about reducing tariffs or facilitating cross-border trade. It is about creating confidence across borders.

African businesses will increasingly choose suppliers, consultants, contractors, professionals, and business partners whom they believe are dependable. Every interaction either strengthens or weakens that confidence.

The electrician. The plumber. The carpenter. The tailor. The software developer. The consultant. The lawyer. The engineer. The hotel operator. The contractor. The trader. The exporter.

Every one of us contributes to Africa’s commercial reputation through our daily conduct.

If our communication inspires confidence, opportunities multiply. If our communication destroys confidence, opportunities quietly disappear. Many of us who experience repeated silence do not complain. We simply begin looking for alternatives.

When we find reliable alternatives, we move on. Business quietly moves elsewhere. Referrals quietly stop. Investment quietly follows trust.

The person who lost those opportunities may never know why. That, in my opinion, is the true cost of this silent poison.

This article is not intended to criticize Ghana. It is written because I believe deeply in Ghana’s potential. I believe Ghana can become one of Africa’s most trusted places to do business. I believe our entrepreneurs, artisans, professionals, and institutions are capable of competing with the very best in the world. Precisely because I believe that, I also believe we should confront communication habits that may be quietly limiting our progress.

Constructive self-reflection is one of the hallmarks of successful societies. We should never be afraid to examine our habits if doing so helps us become stronger.

If correcting this one communication habit enables us to build greater trust, attract more investment, create more employment, strengthen our businesses, and better position ourselves to realize the full promise of AfCFTA, then it is a conversation worth having.

So I will end where I began.
What is the motive behind ignoring calls, messages, and commitments instead of giving a simple, honest response?

Has this communication cadence become so normalized that we no longer recognize the opportunities it may be quietly costing us?

I sincerely invite honest reflection and respectful discussion.

If we can better understand the reasons behind this behavior, perhaps we can begin changing it. And if we change it, I believe we will strengthen trust, deepen professional relationships, improve Ghana’s competitiveness, and unlock opportunities that silence has been quietly taking away from us.

By Dr. Michael Buadoo, Ph.D, LL.M
International Commercial Law Practitioner | Technology Strategist & Oversight /Policy & Governance.

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