Accra, Ghana//-The Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Ghana, Madam Adwoa Wife, has called on the government as a matter of urgency to set up a comprehensive national sustainability policy in the country.
According to her, the establishment of the policy would go a long way to ensure coordination and consistency in Ghana’s sustainability drive.
Madam Wiafe, who made the call when she took her turn at MTN’s Bright Conversations event, added that such a laudable policy would provide a clear framework that aligns the efforts of government, the private sector, and civil society towards achieving long-term environmental, social, and economic goals.
She was emphatic that the absence of a united national direction has led to fragmented and overlapping projects, which do not augur well for economic growth and national development of the country.
In her own words: “One challenge I’ve noticed is the lack of clarity around national policy direction. For instance, if you are implementing a solar energy project, there is often no coordination or overarching framework to guide you”.
The event held as part of the company’s Sustainability Week 2025 was theme-‘Sustainability, a Strategic Imperative for Business Growth and National’ in which Madam Wiafe lauded the creation of the Ministry of State in charge of Climate Change and Sustainability.
She went to describe it as “a crucial step towards embedding sustainability principles in national policy”.
“When there is a clear policy framework, it gives confidence to investors and makes it easier for businesses to channel resources into sustainable products and initiatives. As a country, we need to be clear about where we want to go and how we intend to get there”
Madam Wife indicated that corporate sustainability goes beyond philanthropy; it is rather about using resources efficiently to protect the planet while ensuring business resilience and profitability.
She added: “At the very heart of corporate sustainability is how we utilise resources efficiently to protect our biosphere and nature, while operating in a commercially sound and resilient way”.
Touching on what MTN Ghana is doing in the sustainability space, Madam Wiafe said MTN Ghana is committed to championing initiatives that promote inclusive growth, environmental stewardship, and responsible business conduct.
She added that the company’s sustainability strategy is anchored on four pillars: Doing for People; Doing for Growth; Doing for Planet; and Doing it Right.
These, according to her, reflect the telecom giant’s focus on social and economic development, environmental protection, and sound corporate governance.
To this end, the company is committed to supporting national efforts against illegal mining, popularly known in Ghana as galamsey, which is having debilitating effects on the environment and the company’s fibre optic network spread across the country.
“Sustainability is not just about doing good; it is about long-term security value”, and urging other companies to integrate sustainability into their corporate culture and operations.
Contributing to the discussion, Dr Kwabena Situ, Head of Assurance and Financial Services Industry at Deloitte Ghana, admitted that sustainability is both a risk and an opportunity for businesses.
He therefore called on companies to strengthen their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks and avoid “greenwashing” by adopting credible global standards, engaging independent experts, and conducting external sustainability audits in the country.
On Ghana’s emerging carbon market, he said that the market alone could generate over $ 1 billion by 2030. This presents significant opportunities for green financing and climate investments, Dr Situ explained.
“Climate change, nature loss, extreme weather, and political instability are no longer distant risks-they are affecting businesses right now”.