Government is advocating a more coordinated national framework to better harness the growing philanthropic contributions of influential Ghanaians, acknowledging their significant humanitarian impact across the country.

Speaking as the guest speaker at the 2025 Ghana Philanthropy Conference organised by the STAR-Ghana Foundation, Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, emphasized that Ghana had the potential to mobilise substantial domestic resources if local philanthropic efforts were properly structured and supported.

She highlighted businessman and philanthropist Alhaji Seidu Agongo as a notable example of citizens contributing meaningfully to national development through sustained social interventions.

“We can mobilise funds in Ghana, and many Ghanaians here in this room and outside have been of immense help in that regard. There are several examples but I will mention a few. We have a man called Alhaji Agongo, who recently equipped the child emergency block at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and pays school fees for hundreds of brilliant students. And we have many such Ghanaians”, she said.

However, she noted with concern that these philanthropic efforts remained largely fragmented, with priorities often driven by individual organisations rather than aligned with national development goals.

She cautioned that this lack of coordination leads to sub-optimal use of resources that could otherwise drive more inclusive growth.

According to her, the time had come for Ghana to establish a fit-for-purpose ecosystem that effectively supported and scaled philanthropic initiatives across the country.

“Now we need to focus on a legal framework for resource mobilisation and philanthropy. I hope this conference addresses that. We are willing to initiate the process, set up a team to work on it, and create the legal framework needed to harness these resources. We can look at several global models for guidance. I am hoping Alhaji, who is an authority on this subject in Ghana and one of the leading authorities in Africa, will support the process.”

“I personally commit to being part of a team to develop a bill we can work on and submit, and also involve the attorney-general. Because if we are talking about reimagining sovereignty, then this is the way to harness resources from philanthropists in Ghana and beyond, and use them for inclusive and accelerated development. In doing so, we must continue to advocate for equity and inclusion,” she added.