APA – Accra (Ghana)
The launch of United Kingdom (UK) and Ghana new investor group to help identify mutually beneficial investment opportunities for both countries in a boost to the existing economic partnership dominates the headlines of Ghanaian press on Friday.
The Graphic reports that the United Kingdom (UK) and Ghana on Thursday, June 8, launched a new investor group to help identify mutually beneficial investment opportunities for both countries in a boost to the existing economic partnership.
The announcement at the 8th UK-Ghana Business Council meeting in London, co-chaired by the Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, the Minister for International Trade, Nigel Huddleston, and the Vice-President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, comes as the two countries committed to strengthen trade and increase investment.
The business-led UK-Ghana Investor Group will include UK investors and key investment facilitation agencies in Ghana and the UK, and will help generate leads on viable projects in areas such as pharmaceuticals, textiles and agro-processing, as well as providing support to package the projects and find UK investment.
Support for Ghana’s economic recovery from Covid was also announced, with £1 million of funding for developing infrastructure projects and increasing carbon markets.
Andrew Mitchell, Minister for Development and Africa said: “The economic partnership between the UK and Ghana is thriving, with ever increasing bilateral trade and our new investor group set to find fresh opportunities for businesses both here in the UK and Africa. By working together we are creating jobs and strengthening our historic trade links, to the benefit of both our economies.”
The Ghanaian Times says that the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has partnered five organisations to tackle corruption in customs operations for enhanced revenue mobilisation and trade facilitation.
The organisations are the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Office of the Head of Civil Service, Committee of Freight Forwarders’ Association (CoFFA) and the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
The partnership is dubbed, ‘Fighting Corruption and Promoting Integrity through Collective Action.’
It forms part of the Anti-Corruption and Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme rolled out by the WCO in 2019 to restrict corrupt behavior and promotes good governance in customs operations and administration in Ghana and seven other countries.
The A-CIP Programme is also aimed at realising the objectives of the WCO Revised Arusha Declaration provides customs administrations with a practical approach for anti-corruption policies and practices as stipulated in the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Article 5 in order to reduce and eventually eliminate opportunities for corruption.
At a workshop in Accra yesterday to assess Ghana’s progress on the Collective Action since 2019, Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei Asare, in a speech read on her behalf, said corruption was a huge challenge to the country’s development, hence the many initiatives such as the establishment of the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) to deal with the menace.
She said the government recognises the need for collaboration between institutions and other stakeholders to work together towards dealing with corruption.
The partnership, Mrs Osei-Asare, said, provides the GRA with the opportunity to institute globally-approved and time-tested anti-corruption mechanisms in its operations to clamp down on corruption
She reiterated the government’s commitment to work with all relevant groups in developing appropriate measures to prevent corruption in all sectors of the Ghanaian economy.
The newspaper reports that the Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has entreated persons who have applied for the Ghana Card, but have not been issued with same leading to their Subscriber Identification Number (SIM) cards blockage, to apply to the National Communications Authority (NCA) for exemption.
Many registered and unregistered subscribers, including the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, effective June 1, 2023, were blocked from accessing telecommunications services for their failure to register their SIM cards in the SIM re-registration exercise, which started in 2021.
Briefing Parliament in Accra, yesterday, on the exercise, which she said has recorded “resounding success,” Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said it had become necessary to create an exemption regime to subscribers who may have taken the step but let down by mandated institutions to issue them with the registration document.
“Those who have genuine challenges acquiring the Ghana Card to complete the SIM registration process should contact the NCA with evidence of application for the Ghana Card and their challenges would be addressed after investigation,” Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said.
So far, the minster, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, said 999,419 exemptions to subscribers across all categories of exemptions have been granted.
They are subscribers, who have applied for exemption because of Ghana Card challenges, 387, the Diplomatic Corps, 3,179, Staff of Ghana Mission and Armed Forces abroad, 102, refugees, 6,411, SIMS abroad, 322,524 and mobile money agents and merchants, 666,816.
Since the final deadline, the minister said increased activity indicates 225,114 blocked SIMs are being reactivated following the completion of all the necessary processes.
The Ghanaian Times also reports that the President of Global-Africa Trade Advisory Chamber (GA¬TAC), Mr Dominic Oduro-Antwi, says GATAC is committed to supporting local businesses in realising the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) while collaborating with various business chambers and organi¬sations worldwide to achieve its objectives.
Mr Oduro-Antwi disclosed this at the Global Africa Business dialogue in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, organised by GATAC.
The dialogue was to promote trade between Ghana, Africa, and the global community by offering advisory and training services in trade, investment, and access to capital by local and foreign busi¬nesses.
It was attended by industry leaders and professionals, including the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Michael Okyere Baafi, Dr Raisa Kumaga, Co-founder of Efra Wellbeing, Ashok Puri, Chairman of MGT Group, and Dr Arshi Ayub Zaveri, special advisor to the Royal Family Offices.
Mr Oduro-Antwi emphasised the chamber’s role as a significant economic development vehicle in trade and investment.
“The chamber’s role, which is in line with the government’s vision, is to promote trade and make Ghana the hub of investment and business,” he added.
Mr Oduro-Antwi stated that with the over 200 registered members and representatives from more than 20 countries facilitating trade and investment, GATAC would operate alongside the Ghana-India Trade Advisory Chamber (GITAC) to provide comprehensive support to its members.
The Minister, Mr Okyere Baafi, who graced the occasion, assured participants that his ministry would create a conducive environment for GATAC’s activities, positioning Ghana as the preferred trade destination in Africa, while also championing opportunities for the entire African continent.
Mr Ashok Puri and Dr Arshi Ayub Zaveri emphasised the importance of GATAC, and called on local traders and businesses to capitalise on this initiative to expand their fortunes by connecting with the global trade community
GIK/APA
Press spotlights launch of UK, Ghana new investor group to promote investment opportunities, others
