The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called on both public and private sector leaders in Ghana to embrace ethical leadership, warning that trust, honesty and humility are essential for building sustainable businesses and a strong economy.
Speaking at the Ghana Business Leaders’ Conclave at the University of Professional Studies, Accra on Friday, May 15, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said Ghana’s economic progress depends on strengthening values-driven leadership across all sectors.
He noted that although Ghana’s economy remains heavily influenced by the state, efforts to strengthen the private sector must be prioritised. However, he stressed that private sector leaders must also uphold the same ethical standards they expect from others.
“Some may find it concerning that Ghana’s economy remains dominated by the state sector, while the domestic private sector is not moving at the desired pace. Stimulating the private sector must remain a national priority,” he said.
“But private sector leadership must also embrace the values we profess.”
The Asantehene said values such as honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage are not foreign concepts but are deeply rooted in Ghanaian traditions and universal human principles.
According to him, honesty prevents deception, trust builds confidence in work and institutions, fairness ensures equal standards for all, respect protects dignity and ideas, responsibility promotes accountability, and courage ensures these principles are upheld even under pressure.
He stressed that business success has always been built on trust, long before modern contracts and legal systems.
“Long before technology, long before long contracts and long before complex legal language, the foundation of business was a simple principle — my word is my bond,” he said.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II explained that trust must be the foundation of leadership within organisations, extending from boardrooms to shop floors, supply chains and customer relations.
He cautioned against unethical leadership practices such as tax evasion, dishonesty and double standards, warning that such behaviour undermines both businesses and national development.
“The honest business leader does not cut corners. He does not think it is clever to avoid statutory obligations. He does not cheat the state and then complain that the nation is weak,” he stated.
He further warned that leaders who promote dishonesty within their organisations risk creating a culture where employees replicate the same behaviour.
On leadership behaviour, the Asantehene criticised arrogance in management, describing it as a barrier to effective leadership and organisational harmony.
“Arrogance is not leadership. Arrogance is a hindrance to harmony,” he said, adding that executives must treat colleagues, staff and stakeholders with respect.
He urged leaders to embrace humility and recognise that success is the result of collective effort rather than individual achievement.
“I recommend to every executive, no matter how highly placed you may be, you must acknowledge that you are only one person in a long chain of actors whose combined efforts produce success,” he said.
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