The Chairman of Unilever, Mr Ishmael Yamson, has identified poor governance as the leading contributory factor for Africa's retrogression. He said poor performance by African governments in accountability, transparency, predictability and participation was the bane of the continent's development and progress.

Mr Yamson, therefore, proposed major changes to reverse the trend and the adoption of strategic approaches to Africa’s development by its political leaders.

He was presenting a paper on the topic, "Consolidating Political Stability in Africa for Accelerated Growth":

Possible Initiatives/Role of the Business Sector in Consolidating Political Stability", in the first ever Daily Graphic Accra Governance Dialogue in Accra yesterday.

Mr Yamson challenged governments in Africa to grow out of the tendency of becoming preoccupied with short-term problems and short-term strategies and stressed the need for them to think in the long term and act with the strategic objectives of their countries in view in order to realise the benefits of good governance.

Linking good governance to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated regional and continental integration, he admitted the difficulty in getting good governments on the continent.

That, according to him, was because adherence to the principles of good governance was not robust.

Addressing the factors which drove good governance, Mr Yamson listed nine inclusive principles as important for Africa’s efforts at building and sustaining political stability.

"African leadership with integrity and trust, the capacity and ability to design, own and deliver sound and transformational economic policies, credibility, democracy and culture, as well as integrity, are drivers of good governance," he said.