Ghana: Press spotlights visit of Trinidad and Tobago PM to Ghana, others

The report that the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Keith Rowley, departed his country yesterday evening for London en route to Ghana, where he has been invited to attend the celebration of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s 25th year of ascension to the Golden Stool and reign as the Asantehene is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Wednesday.
The Graphic reports that the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Keith Rowley, departed his country yesterday evening for London en route to Ghana, where he has been invited to attend the celebration of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s 25th year of ascension to the Golden Stool and reign as the Asantehene.
The Office of the Prime Minister confirmed this development yesterday. Rowley had announced last month that he would be traveling to Ghana this month for the event.
In 2023, the Asantehene and his delegation visited Trinidad and Tobago to commemorate the country’s Emancipation Day celebrations.
Accompanying the Prime Minister to Ghana is his wife, Mrs. Sharon Rowley. The delegation attending the celebration also includes Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Amery Browne.
While in Ghana, Prime Minister Rowley will also meet with President Nana Akufo-Addo.
The newspaper says that a shopping spree in Lagos can turn into a windfall sale in Accra, thanks to a wave of unauthorized imports fueled by Nigeria’s plummeting Naira.
Entrepreneurs, dubbed “clandestine traders,” are exploiting the currency disparity to smuggle everything from detergent to noodles across porous West African borders.
Maverick Research’s source of origin analysis of the leading Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) brands and feedback from our field teams indicate a surge in grey products of popular fast-moving brands from Nigeria into Ghana and Cameroon.
Imagine buying a can of detergent off a Lagos shelf and selling it for double the price in Accra. This is not fiction; it is the reality for these unauthorized importers who capitalizing on the:
Currency Chaos: The Naira’s weakness against regional currencies like the Ghanaian Cedi creates a significant price gap, making Nigerian goods incredibly cheap for neighboring countries.
Porous Borders: West Africa’s notoriously weak border controls make smuggling a breeze, often bypassing customs and regulatory oversight. Allegations of corruption further facilitate the flow of these “grey market” goods.
Brand Recognition: The strong demand of leading brands in both Nigerian and neighboring markets creates a demand for cheaper versions readily available through these unauthorized channels due to the arbitrage. Consumers often prioritize familiar brands over origin.
The Ghanaian Times reports that the government is to license two automobile companies, to assemble vehicles in Ghana, to bring the total number of companies in the sector to eight, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Michael Okyere Baafi has disclosed.
Already, there are six automobile companies assembling 13 different brands of cars in the country.
Mr Baafi disclosed this at a business networking reception for Indian companies in Ghana, last Thursday in Accra.
Organised by the Indian High Commission in Accra, the event formed part of activities of the 4th Session of the India-Ghana Joint Trade Committee meeting, convened by the Government of Ghana, to discuss issues of trade with the Indian government.
With various meeting with the government and key stakeholders, the Indian delegation including investors, discussed existing and new areas of trade.
Mr Baafi urged Indian investors and businesses to establish companies in Ghana, to venture into the manufacturing of general car components.
According to him, many opportunities exist in the automotive industry, especially in the area of general car components, because of the policy of the government to assemble vehicles in Ghana.
Mr Baafi said that government had entered into the second phase of its automotive agenda, and the intention was to support companies to establish plants in Ghana, to manufacture general car parts.
The newspaper says that Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has commended the European Union (EU) for its “steadfast support and solidarity” towards Ghana and the West African sub-region in the face of ongoing global challenges.
According to Dr Bawumia, the myriad crises currently confronting the world, including threats emanating from the insecurity situation in the Sahel region had brought adversity.
The Vice President was speaking at the 2024 Ghana-EU Partnership Dialogue held in Accra yesterday to assess cooperation between the two sides and also discuss issues of mutual interest.
The dialogue, which is part of the EU month celebration created the platform to discuss four thematic areas; socio-economic partnership; peace and security; governance and human rights; green growth, technology, and sustainability.
Dr Bawumia highlighted the longstanding and deep-rooted partnership between Ghana and the EU bloc, which dates back to the signing of the Lome Convention in 1975 – the first cooperation agreement between the two parties.
“With a history of collaboration dating back to the Lome 1 Convention…the framework has provided a comprehensive, balanced and deep political dialogue and enhanced cooperation,” he noted.
GIK/APA