Former Military Officer and the former boss of defunct UT Bank, Capt. (Rtd) Prince Kofi Amoabeng, has opened up about the extent to which sabotage, weak mindset, interference, and soft leadership are stifling the country’s socio-economic development.
For him, if the country can be lifted from the ruins, there is a need for fearlessness on the part of leaders and a national mindset change. Leaders, he says, must learn to apply the rules without excuses if the country truly wants development.
The entrepreneur made this forceful case in an interview with Channel One TV on the Point of View program with Ace Broadcaster Bernard Koku Avle.
A Leader Betrayed in His Own House
Captain (Rtd.) Prince Kofi Amoabeng has lived leadership from the army to the boardroom. However, he admits nothing prepared him for the sabotage he faced in his own company, UT Bank.
The former UT Bank chief recounted how some employees schemed, lied, and plotted against him despite his efforts to build a culture of respect. He fondly recounted moments where, to demonstrate humility, he would join the lunch queue behind junior staff. It still didn’t stop some from resisting his leadership.
“They will lie, they will scheme against you to get you out. Everything, even me at UT, and everybody knew what I stood for. My own company, which I built from scratch. Still, some people didn’t like me and the way I run the company,” he recounted.
For him, the sabotage and scheming are not just personal, they are a symptom of a deeper national sickness.
This Mindset Will Never Let Ghana Grow
P.K. Amoabeng believes Ghana’s biggest developmental obstacle is not lack of talent, natural resources, or smart policies. It is the mindset. He says it is the way people instinctively undermine rules, reward wrongdoing, and attack anyone pushing for discipline.
“We are horrible to ourselves. That is why we are not developing,” he said.
He argues that until Ghana fixes its mindset, particularly the willingness to defend wrongdoing because of family ties, political connections, or convenience, no policy will save the country.
The Case for ‘Ruthless’ Leadership, Not Wicked Leadership
In his diagnosis of the country’s problem, P.K. Amoabeng is convinced that one major prescription Ghana needs is “ruthless leadership.” He was however quick to explain that ruthless leadership is not about autocracy. It is about consistency.
He explains that a leader must be willing to enforce the law even against their closest allies without blinking.
He points to global examples of how ruthless leadership has helped to transform other countries.
He mentions how Lee Kuan Yew jailed ministers in Singapore, China applies harsh penalties for corruption, and Rwanda under Kagame enforces discipline without fear
This kind of firmness, he says, is what pushes nations forward, not endless committees, selective justice or political interference.
“Sanctioning is a big part of leadership. You should be able to sanction without bending nothing. There’s a rule, and if you go outside it, what’s the prescribed sanction? And apply it, even if it’s your father. But in Africa, it’s not possible,” he emphasized.
Sanctions Are Not Wickedness; They Are Development Tools
Kofi Amoabeng insists that development demands consequences. Clean countries are not clean because their citizens are naturally righteous; they are clean because their systems punish wrongdoing without apology.
He stresses that Ghana must learn to reward honesty and punish wrongdoing consistently. This, he believes critical especially given the country’s struggles with corruption, poor enforcement, and political interference.
The Hard Truth: Ghana Must Toughen Up
He emphasizes that Ghana will not progress with soft leadership and a culture that protects wrongdoing.
To him, need leaders who enforce rules without fear, resist sabotage, stay focused on national interest, and apply sanctions fairly.
To complement this, Ghana needs citizens who stop glorifying shortcuts, protecting culprits, or undermining discipline when it affects “their person.”
In a country where systems often lose to connections, and where whistleblowers face backlash instead of protection, Kofi Amoabeng says a new wave of ruthless leadership and citizens with positive mindset are the necessary conditions to drive development.
