Dalex Finance CEO Warns Against Profit Without Principles at CEO’s Breakfast and Networking Meeting
Chief Executive Officer of Dalex Finance, Joe Jackson, has issued a strong rebuke to Ghana’s business and political elite, warning that the pursuit of personal gain at the expense of ethics is eroding trust, weakening institutions, and threatening the country’s future.
Speaking during the Curtain Raiser Conversation at the second edition of the CEO’s Breakfast and Networking Meeting in Accra, Mr. Jackson described Ghana’s leadership crisis as one rooted not in lack of knowledge or talent, but in the collective choice to prioritise “profit without principle.”
“On Sunday, we preach ethics. On Monday, we inflate contracts. On Tuesday, we quote the Bible in boardrooms, and yet we sign deals that rob the taxpayer blind. Ghana is in crisis not because we don’t know what to do, but because we have decided to pursue profit without principle,” he stated.
The outspoken finance executive cautioned that true power does not reside in political office, titles, or ceremonial displays, but in the trust of stakeholders. “Power only comes from the trust of shareholders, employees, customers and the general public. That is what gives you true power. Unfortunately, in today’s world, we’ve lost that trust,” he said.
Mr. Jackson drew parallels between the country’s governance failures and the menace of illegal mining (galamsey), which he described as “profit without principle made manifest.” He warned that unchecked environmental destruction, particularly pollution of water bodies, poses an existential threat to Ghana’s future.
“Galamsey is destroying our rivers, collapsing our water infrastructure, and creating epidemics of kidney failure. It is profit without principle. And we all sit by and watch because the kingpins who benefit from it wield power and money,” he lamented.
Calling on business leaders to reflect deeply, he urged them to uphold integrity, stewardship, courage, and service as the cornerstones of conscious leadership. He challenged participants to personally commit to principles that they would never compromise, even under pressure.
“Write down one principle you will not cross. Be a leader whose profit is clean, whose profit is not stained with corruption. Be a leader of principle, not of excuses,” he charged.
The CEO’s Breakfast and Networking Meeting, now in its second year, has been positioned as a space for Ghanaian business leaders to reflect on corporate culture, economic impact, and the broader role of leadership in shaping the country’s future.
