Ghanaians and Africans have been urged to embrace the concept of Supply Chain Management as the surest roadmap to sustainable development. Delivering a public lecture at the Great Hall at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) organised by the KNUST School of Business (KSB), Dr. Douglas Boateng said the failure of governments to develop and implement a coherent supply chain and logistics strategy in support of the country’s gateway initiative continues to be a major impediment towards Ghana’s goals of becoming a middle income country.
The inaugural lecture was part of activities marking the official launch of the West African Institute for Supply Chain Leadership (WAISCL). The first of its kind to be opened in West Africa, Dr. Boateng who is the founder and the President of the Institute said WAISCL will become the leading Supply Chain Management education and training partner of choice for both public and private sector organisations in the sub region.
According to the expert, Supply chain management involves the management of all the inter-linked activities within a value adding chain and also include but not limited to planning, procurement, manufacturing/production distribution and customer service. Dr. Boateng said the application of smart supply chain management is what makes the difference between developed and under-developed nations.
Dr. Boateng also said Ghana is one of the countries blessed with rich natural resources and so all sectors including government, business entrepreneurs and academicians must begin to understand the importance of Supply Chain Management. He emphasized that through the application of careful supply chain management principles, Africa’s economy will improve and bring more meaning into the lives of the people.
Warning about the tendency of our leaders to rely on exportation of raw materials to transform the economy, he pointed to the over 1000 audience gathered for the lecture that throughout history, countries that depend on the exportation of raw commodities have relatively failed to achieve major long term socio-economic growth.
He urged Ghanaians to start applying smart supply chain management principles to transform the economy. In so doing, Ghana will be laying a solid foundation for future generations.
Other personalities who were present for the inauguration of the Institute and the public lecture include Dean of KNUST School of Business (KSB) Dr, J.M Frimpong; Registrar of KSB, Mr. Yeboah and the Pro- Vice Chancellor of KNUST.
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About Dr. Douglas Boateng
Dr. Boateng is a Pan Africanist and a social entrepreneur with a vision to make a real and sustainable difference to socio economic growth in Africa through human capital leadership development.
Dr Douglas Boateng is the Founder of the West African Institute for Supply Chain Leadership- (WAISCL) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Business School in Ghana.
He is also President and CEO of PanAvest International, a boutique advisory company that focuses on assisting companies to sustainably and profitably extend their market reach using innovative business development, logistics and supply chain techniques. Annual revenues of companies that Dr Boateng and PanAvest International continue to directly and indirectly assist ranges between $2m* - 6 Billion USD*
Contact:corpcom@gmaworld.com