Business24 Newspaper 3 August 2022

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

NEWS FOR BUSINESS LEADERS

.COM.GH

NCA denies Vodafone’s request to transfer majority shares to Telecel STORY ON PAGE 2

Implement National AfCFTA policy framework Zipline appoints Mawuli with speed -Prez tells Atiemo as new General MoTI, others Manager

BY EUGENE DAVIS

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STORY ON PAGE 3

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THEBUSINESS24ONLINE.COM

News/Editorial

Horticulture fast becoming the new job-making machine “When the last tree dies, the last man dies” they say and truly so because flora and fauna preserve the environment and hence human life, and at a time that economies are grossly feeling the harsh outcomes of climate change, the need to preserve our environment and green resources have become even more critical.

Aside the enviro-friendly outcomes, there is proven economic potential in the green economy, specifically the horticultural value chain.

Recent statistics put proportions of the youth (15 to 35) that are unemployed and seeking work at 34.2percent. Unemployment is therefore considered by many to be the most critical issue affecting the country.

It is trite to say that with the right national and individual orientation, policies, and drive, Ghana’s rich flora and fauna resources could provide millions of jobs to the country’s teeming youth.

Stratcomm Africa is leading the charge to green

Ghana for the varied purposes of beautification, wealth and job creation as well as a sustainable fight against climate change.

Now in is tenth year, the annual Garden and Flower Show challenges and motivates the youth and businesses in the sector to aspire to grow and reach their full potential, in order to improve their livelihoods and impact society.

This year’s theme “Growth Unleashed” preps the mind of young Ghanaians to burst forth and to grow beyond the norms to achieve a blooming environment.

The global horticulture market is estimated to be valued at USD 20.77 Billion as of 2021 and is projected to reach US$40.24bn by 2026 at a compound annual growth of 10.2percent whilst global flower and ornamental plants market was valued at US$475.6m in 2020 and is expected to reach US$725.4m by the end of 2027, growing annually at 6.3percent during 2021-2027.

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NCA denies Vodafone’s request to transfer majority shares to Telecel The National Communications Authority has denied an application by the Vodafone Group to transfer 70percent majority shares in Vodafone Ghana to the Telecel Group.

The industry regulator said the application did not meet the regulatory threshold for the approval to be granted.

“In January 2022, the NCA received an application for the transfer of 70% majority shares in Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited (Vodafone Ghana) from Vodafone International Holdings B.V. to the Telecel Group,” the NCA said in a statement.

“In accordance with due process, the Authority evaluated the application on various criteria and engaged both Vodafone and Telecel Group. After a critical regulatory review and evaluation, the NCA concluded that the request did not meet the regulatory threshold for approval to be granted”.

The NCA said the its statement was in response to media reports “purporting a block of the sale of Vodafone Ghana to the Telecel Group by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD)”.

Last week, Bloomberg reported about the Vodafone Group’s

intention to exit Ghana’s telecom market to enable the service provider to re-focus on its key markets.

According to the report, the British telecommunication giant had agreed to offload 70 percent of its stake in Ghana’s operation to Africa-focused telecom company, Telecel Group, subject to regulatory approval by the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Communications.

Vodafone entered Ghana in 2008 when it acquired 70 per cent stake of Ghana Telecommunications Company for $900 million.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

Implement National AfCFTA policy framework with speed -Prez tells MoTI, others

BY EUGENE DAVIS President Nana Akufo-Addo has asked stakeholders behind the operationalization of the National Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Policy Framework and Action Plan to demonstrate commitment and work with speed to enable Ghanaian businesses have the required leverage from the initiative.

Speaking on behalf of the president at the launch of the National AfCFTA Policy Framework and Action Plan for Boosting Ghana’s Trade with Africa, in Accra on Tuesday, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah stated “The Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ghana Coordinating office of the AfCFTA, this framework, as brilliantly as it is structured will not mean much if you do not implement the programs under it with speed, effectiveness and commitment. It is your successful implementation of the programs under this framework that matters and which will ensure that thousands of Ghanaian businesses can ride on its back and export significantly into the African continent. Thereby boosting local economic activity, our growth, jobs and earnings. So go at it and don’t be held back by the hurdles that will come your way.

The National AfCFTA Policy Framework and Action Plan is geared towards the harmonization of relevant policies, programmes, laws, and regulations to boost the productive capacities of the private sector in Ghana particularly the MSMEs to harness the full benefits of AfCFTA. A successful implementation of the Action Plan will boost the capacities of the Ghanaian private sector to take advantage of market access opportunities in Africa to

Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, Information Minister represented the President is flanked by Alan Kyerematen, Trade and Industry Minister to launch the National AfCFTA Policy Framework and Action Plan. promote ‘Made in Ghana’ goods and services.

According to the president the effective rollout of the AfCFTA Agreement in Ghana would significantly boost Ghana’s balance of trade, stimulate investment and innovation, diversify exports, improve food security, foster structural transformation, enhance economic growth, and above all, provide jobs for the youth.

He also added that “African countries cannot overcome the current economic challenges occasioned by the incidence of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the RussiaUkraine war if we do not develop measures to improve the productive capacities of the private sector and

increase intra-African trade.

Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, indicated that National AfCFTA Policy Framework and Action Plan had inputs from a broad range of stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, adding “It is my wish therefore that, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), together with institutions such as Banks, Insurance companies, Transport and Logistics companies, would all work together to empower the private sector in Ghana to harness the full benefit of the AfCFTA. Government on its part, will provide the needed political

impetus and create the enabling environment to ensure the successful implementation of AfCFTA in Ghana.”

He also noted that as host country for the AfCFTA Secretariat, Ghana is uniquely positioned to become the new commercial capital of Africa and is therefore determined to make themost of the AfCFTA Agreement, by leveraging on the trade and investment opportunities that the AfCFTA presents, to accelerate the development and growth of the national economy.

The Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene stated that key instruments for trading under the AfCFTA, including the Schedules of Tariff Concessions and Schedules of Specific Commitment on Trade in Services as well as Trading Documents and tools for operationalising the AfCFTA preferences that will facilitate cross border transactions (such as the Rules of Origin Manual, E-Tariff Book and the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System) have all been finalised.

He also revealed that Ghana is one of the State Parties that have expressed interest in being part of the initiative and plays a pivotal and focal role in facilitating trades with the other African regions.

Specifically, the initiative is facilitating trades with: Ghana and Egypt – representing the Northern African region, Ghana and Cameroon – representing the Central African region, Ghana and Kenya – representing the Eastern African region; and Ghana and Mauritius – representing the Southern Africa region.

Zipline appoints Mawuli Atiemo as new General Manager The world’s leader in instant delivery services, Zipline, has announced the appointment of Mr. Mawuli Atiemo as the new General Manager of its Ghana operations.

His appointment takes effect from July 2022.

Mr Atiemo is joining Zipline from AstraZeneca where he was the Ghana Country Lead and having had over 15 years of multi-sectoral wealth of experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry, stretching across various business development functions.

As the General Manager, Mr. Atiemo will oversee the day-today operations of the company, responsible for developing strategic plans for increasing profitability and developing business relations for business growth as well as look to foster good working relations with all stakeholders including the

government of Ghana.

A statement issued by Zipline said “In the various positions he has held over the years, Mawuli Atiemo has demonstrated rare leadership responsibility, including building and developing talents, managing highperforming teams, and developing and increasing sales”.

“Through his leadership as Sales Manager in 2017 with AstraZeneca, the team he headed delivered the 2018 budget with strong double-digit growth and won the Best Sales Team in Sub Saharan Africa for 2018, Best Sales Manager Award for Sub Saharan Africa, and Circle of Excellence MEA (Middle East Africa) winner.

“He played a core role in AstraZeneca Sub Saharan Africa’s (SSA) growth, leading both business and company’s strategic objective and driving execution of the sales

and marketing initiatives in Ghana.

His valued contribution to the business has been recognized at both AstraZeneca African Cluster and Middle East Africa (MEA) Level”.

Mr Atiemo’s appointment comes at a time when the successes of Zipline in Ghana has largely been said to be the driver of Zipline’s rapid expansion into countries like Nigeria, Kenya, USA, Japan and Cote D’Ivoire.

Zipline commenced its Ghana operations in April 2019 from one distribution centre in Omenako and has expanded to six operational hubs, serving over 2500 health facilities with an average daily delivery of 250 medical commodities per distribution center.

Recently, the company has supported the Ghana Health Services to distribute 334,276 tablets of ivermectin to selected communities

in the Ejura Sekyedumase, Sekyere Central, and Offinso North Districts, as part of an annual campaign of mass ivermectin tablets administration targeted at reducing the incidence of Onchocerciasis an infectious and parasitic disease categorized under Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).

These impressive efforts in using technology to disrupt how instant deliveries are made via drone have not gone unnoticed. The company has received the U.S. Department of State’s Awards for Corporate Excellence (ACE) and has been recognized as the World’s biggest drone delivery network.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

Why Ghana’s inflation is rising, impact on living conditions

By Jerry J. AfolabI Ghana’s inflation has hit a record high since the beginning of the year 2022 Ghana’s annual inflation rate accelerated for the 13th consecutive month to 29.8 per cent in June of 2022, from 27.6 per cent in May, breaking the upper ceiling of the central bank’s target band of six per cent to 10 per cent for ten months and this is the highest since 2004.

Records from the Ghana Statistical Service indicates that food inflation increased to 26.6 per cent and non-food inflation increased to 21.3 per cent as at end of April.

Brand items in the inflation basket show 295 out of 305 items recorded price increases.

However, the data revealed that 99 of the items recorded a higher inflation rate than the national average inflation of 23.6per cent.

The surge in inflation may be as a result of several factors, the recently introduced 1.5 per cent E-Levy, perennial depreciation of the cedi, increase in Bank of Ghana policy rate to 17 per cent, continuous increases in petroleum prices, increase in demand for both imported and local food unmatched by supply.

Evidently, the inflation in Ghana is really caused by fiscal expenditure and non-monetary issues.

An import driven economy like Ghana cannot consistently control inflation because the taste of the Ghanaian for foreign goods and service is part of the problem.

Government expenditure needs to be retargeted to drive food distribution cost parity,

supply and storage. The Central Bank seems to be using monetary policy rate (19%) to mop up excess liquidity and cash from the economy which unfortunately has failed.

Reasons for sharp surge in Inflation Workforce of about 45 per cent directly or indirectly employed in the agriculture sector makes the sector a key contributor to the growth of the economy. However, farming, poultry, fisheries and forestry are at a decline due to lack of mechanisation and access to finance for smallholder farmers causing local food prices to increase across the country.

It is very surprising that with the introduction of several farmer friendly agriculture policies by the Ghana government, food prices continue to see very fast paced increase in price making cost of living very high. Infact , it is the case that what policy makers say is quite different from the impact these inflationary conditions have on the people.

Frequent increases in petroleum prices is one of the reasons why inflation is surging.

Farmers across the country are having higher yields/harvest, however, they are unable to transport all their produce to the marketplace because of the very high cost of transportation.

Deteriorating rural roads especially in the farming areas is another reason why food stuff does not get to the towns and cities where they are needed most.

Torrential rains in the past 2 to 3 months and the resultant flooding has rendered a lot of roads in the

hinterland unmotorable.

All these adverse factors caused a surge in prices of produce and the resultant rise in the rate of inflation.

The impact lack of artificial fertilizers for farmer has on their produce cannot be underestimated especially its impact on food prices.

By some estimates, close to 80 per cent of local smallholder farmers could not afford local fertilizer even with government subsidies.

The problem with fertilizers is the fact that they are usually imported, and the continuous depreciation of the Ghanaian cedi against the dollar by some 17 per cent since the start of 2022 compounds the problem with inadequate supplies. On the other hand, smallholder farmers are not equipped with the right technological inputs and techniques of modernday farming to increase crop cultivation and yields.

In marketing farm produce, it is Its very evident that most Ghanaians are used to buying foodstuff in the open marketplace.

So when these foodstuff cannot get to the consumers in the cities because of high transport cost, bad road network, lack of storage facilities and sometimes lack of cargo vehicles, they end up either being destroyed or sold at a discount.

The current economic situation of in Ghana can be solved through a revamp of the agricultural sector. Agriculture is undoubtedly the most important sector in our economy and employs

almost 60% of our citizens.

However, budget allocation and government expenditure does not reflect same in the sector.

Moreover, government’s initiative of planting for food and jobs ($641m expenditure) has not significantly impacted the agricultural sector so foodstuff are made affordable for the average citizen as compared to the Operation Feed Yourself (OFY) flagship government program of the 1970s.

Recommendations • Government policy initiative on Planting for Food and Jobs should be reviewed to make farming/fishing very attractive and lucrative for all Ghanaians.

• Government should invest into mobile storage trucks for transporting farm produce from rural areas to the cities where they are needed most.

• Government should invest into storage facilities at major market centers to store and preserve farm produce for market women.

• Government should invest in rural farm roads to connect market districts across the country.

• Promote the involvement of farmers and fishermen in policy design, planning, implementation, monitoring and the assessment of its impact on their output and living standards The writer is Financial & Economic expert.

E-mail: jelilius@gmail.com

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

UKGCC donates GHc50,000 towards the establishment of a clinical trials unit at UGMC The UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC), a memberbased trade association that promotes bilateral trade between the UK and Ghana, has donated GHc50,000.00 to support the establishment of a clinical trials unit at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC).

The funds were raised during the UKGCC’s recreation of the first Royal Ascot Ladies Day Experience Event in Ghana held at the Polo Court Gardens, Accra on 18th June 2022, and formally presented to the UGMC team in a ceremony with Mrs. Lucy Brimpong Ofori-Ayeh, Chairperson of the UGMC Medical and Scientific Research Centre (MSRC) Fundraising Committee, in attendance.

During the presentation, Anthony Pile, UKGCC Board Chairman and Founder of

Blue Skies, said “We are hugely impressed with Lucy and her team.

Embarking on these clinical trials unit project, I think, will make a difference not just to Ghana but frankly to all of us within the ECOWAS region.

It is something that the UKGCC feels very strongly about; supporting all elements, all aspects of advancing medical progress and I think this just illustrates the importance to both parties of how we feel about the work UGMC is doing.

I also feel that UKGCC is doing a great job now reaching out to those very many elements of Ghanaian industrial, social, and civil society to make the progress that is needed so importantly within Ghana.”

Mrs. Ofori-Ayeh, for her part, expressed her gratitude, on behalf of the Board of Directors,

Management, and Staff of the UGMC, to the UKGCC for their generous donation towards the establishment of the clinical trials unit.

The support, she remarked, “will go a long way to make a dream come true”.

She explained that “most of the clinical trials that are being carried out for new medicines are done elsewhere, not in Africa, nor with African subjects and the genetic makeup of the trial participants are different from ours. So, this will be a chance for us to try the medicines that are coming on board with our own people to ensure the medicines are fit for purpose.

Again, there are so many herbal products in the country that could potentially cure many ailments, but the scientific trials have not been done. A proper

clinical trials unit at UGMC can do these trials to international standards and help validate some of these treatments. Moreover, something produced in Ghana will be accessible to the vast majority of Ghanaians and other Africans.

Present at the presentation were Alice Asafu-Adjaye, UKGCC Executive Council Member; Adjoba Kyiamah, UKGCC Executive Director; Kwame Boakye, Director of Internal Audit, UGMC; Nana Adwoa Konadu Dsane, Deputy Director, MSRC; and staff of the UKGCC. UKGCC appeals to other organisations and individuals to support the establishment of the centre slated to be completed by the end of this year, through donations to the accounts below.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

Airlines could help Ghana attain two million tourist arrivals annually – GTDC Mr Kwadwo Antwi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ghana Tourism Development Company, says Ghana’s quest to drive tourism traffic of two million tourists into the country annually is achievable.

He said the drive was possible through coordinated efforts, including airlines delivering comfort and convenience to travellers of both domestic and international travellers.

Mr Antwi said this when Tranz Global Services, in partnership with Numero Un, launched Voyager International Airways, a chartered airline to fly from Accra to London, New York, Toronto and back to Accra.

For the start, the new airline would begin a weekly service to London on August 14 while flights from Accra to Toronto and New York would also begin in December and January respectively.

Meanwhile, Mr Antwi, who spoke on behalf of Mr Mark OkrakuMantey, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, said as

several entities and organisations were recovering from the shackles of the pandemic, it was needed that new initiatives and ideas came on board to boost the tourism sector.

“As business bounces back, as we see traffic coming through our airports, it is important that we position ourselves and be ready,” he said.

“The honourable Minister, Dr Mohammed Awal, has stated that tourism must contribute $4 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the

next two years. This could not have happened at a better time,” the CEO added.

He said as people travel, we should ensure they travelled in style and comfort and therefore, the Tourism Ministry had embraced the airlines as it would bring competition, comfort and convenience.

Mr Thomas Coleman, CEO of Tranz Global Services, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said their airlines had come to augment the destruction the aviation industries, including Ghana, had experienced due to COVID-19.

“I am sure everyone here sees in the news the long lines of check in, thousands of delayed and cancelled flights and now to lose luggage. In Ghana, some of the airlines have decided to reduce the number

of flights going to Accra, citing shortages of staff,” he said.

Mr Coleman said, the Voyager International Airways sought to deliver flexibility with different cuisines at travellers convenience.

He said: “our goal is to give direct flights, a unique travel experience for saving them time and money.”

Mr Kwabena Addison, Lead Project for the airlines, said, ” the only solution we intend to provide is convenience for travellers between Ghana and London.”

He said their operations were well rehearsed and planned to solve some of the capacity challenges in the aviation industry.

The Voyager International Airways would partner with Kenpong Travel and Tours to carry Ghanaian supporters to the FIFA World Cup 2022, in Qatar.

It would also be responsible for carrying tourists and participants for the Afrochella Festival, where most diaspora people would be involved.

Source: GNA

Tullow, IIA provide financial and business advisory support to suppliers Tullow Ghana has concluded a 10-month long Supplier Finance Readiness Programme to provide financial and business advisory support to some suppliers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 150 suppliers and 35 companies selected from the oil and gas industry in Ghana were trained to build financial resilience and sustainable businesses for the future.

Facilitated by Invest In Africa (IIA), a private sector-led initiative focused on growing local businesses, the participants were trained in financial modelling, business plan preparation, financial management, corporate governance, and business risk management.

The training also gave participants, important financial toolkits to enhance their interactions with lending institutions and strengthen their ability and preparedness to access finance.

Speaking at the closing ceremony in Accra, Mr Wissam Al-Monthiry, Managing Director for Tullow Ghana, reiterated the Company’s resolve to support

individuals and companies in the oil and gas sector towards sustainable development.

He said: “Tullow Ghana will continue to support local capacity development through various targeted knowledge sharing interventions to equip local companies and increase their participation in the industry while making them globally competitive.”

The programme, which was launched in August 2021, formed part of initiatives to help suppliers in the oil and gas industry to be financially resilient and sustainable.

It had become more important as Ghanaian businesses focused on delivering maximum value from the Jubilee and TEN fields under the Ghana Value Maximization Plan.

When fully executed, the plan would see a further $4 billion investment in Tullow’s Ghana operations over the next 10 years.

This is expected to lead to more activities and an increase in production, which means more suppliers and more supply volume requirements.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

NAACP returns to Ghana with a delegation of student leaders NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson, along with a cohort of NAACP leaders will travel with a delegation of 40 young students on a transformative journey to Ghana as part of the Amos C. Brown Fellowship, from July 31 to August 10.

The fully funded 10-day experience will lead 40 young scholars ages 18 and 25 from the United States to Ghana. The students will be immersed in Ghanaian culture, gain deep insights into their ancestral heritage, learn about the historical connections between decolonization and the Civil Rights Movement and discuss current global social justice movements.

The program is the first of its kind to be powered by the NAACP. Selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, the fellows, current college students and recent college graduates come from communities across the country from New York, Georgia, and California to Michigan, Utah, and Texas. For many, this journey is their first visit to the Continent.

The experience will prepare them to be global-minded social change agents on issues such as health equity, legal advocacy, education,

and economic empowerment.

The program is in collaboration with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

The Amos C. Brown Fellowship is taking place three years after the NAACP led another delegation

NAACP again on another historic trip to Ghana after successfully conceiving and executing Jamestown to Jamestown with the single largest delegation to Ghana in 2019. Our commitment to connecting people of African

of more than 300 people to Ghana for the Jamestown-to-Jamestown journey during the Year of Return in 2019. This immersive journey, organized by The Adinkra Group allowed participants of all ages to retrace the path of Africans who were sold into slavery in the United States from the year 1619 and the centuries that followed.

“We are pleased to work with the

descent, especially young people such as the Amos C. Brown Fellows, has only strengthened and resolved more since the pandemic,” says Diallo Sumbry, Founder of The Adinkra Group and a Ghana Tourism Ambassador.

Building on relationships formed during that journey, the NAACP continues to strengthen its ties with Ghana, and the

African diaspora at large.

“In the years since the Year of Return and the social uprisings in 2020, it has become ever more apparent that the global Black community must use our collective strength, power, and resilience to fight against oppression at every level, and at every corner of the world,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP President, and CEO. “NAACP remains committed to leading that charge and will do so by providing more opportunities for business investments, diaspora partnerships, and cultural experiences such as the Amos C. Brown Fellowship.”

Over the past three years, the NAACP has become increasingly invested in the African community, highlighting its music and culture through the NAACP Image Awards, and advocating for immigrant rights through its landmark supreme court win in NAACP v. Trump, which solidified the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

In 2020, the NAACP was one of the first major U.S. civil rights organizations to lend its support to the #EndSars movement, which spoke out against police brutality in Nigeria.

Seth Kugblenu appointed ICED Director of Communications The International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED), an international non-profit organisation that aims to provide, inspire and support thought and practice leadership in monitoring and evaluation in Africa has appointed Seth Kugblenu as the Director of Communications and Policy Engagement.

Mr Kugblenu is expected to develop and implement communication and policy engagement strategy for the ICED’s diverse programmes, initiatives, events, engagement opportunities and activities.

He will ensure that the department sustains strong policy and research-based partnerships, build equityfocused programming and communicates effectively and proactively to ensure the public’s trust.

“We are happy to welcome Seth to ICED and we hope he will enjoy working with us to promote the

vision and mission of ICED in Africa and the Global South,” a statement issued by ICED said.

Mr Kugblenu, who was a columnist with the Daily Graphic newspaper, brings on board a wealth of experience in marketing, public relations, corporate communications and programme management through his respective roles at the National Board for Small Scale Industries (now Ghana Enterprise Agency), South African High Commission, the Vanguard Group and the Office of the President (Monitoring and Evaluation Secretariat).

He graduated as Overall Best Student from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in Public Relations and Advertising, holds a First Degree in

Management and Sociology from the University of Ghana (First Class Honours) and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Ghana Business School.

About ICED ICED’s vision is “a global south where evidence drives policies and actions for transformation of lives and livelihoods”. Its mission is “to enhance the generation,

synthesis and uptake of evidence for better policy and action”.

ICED seeks to cultivate leadership in Africa in conceptualising and practicing Monitoring and Evaluation that can translate into innovations and advances in both theory and practice in support of development. It is a “think-anddo-tank” that is rooted in practical realities and experiences across cultures and contexts.

ICED fills an important niche in the Africa Monitoring and Evaluation architecture. With its operating headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, representing Eastern and Southern Africa, and regional office in Accra, Ghana, representing West Africa, and a range of emerging international alliances and partnerships, it is the first international organisation based in Africa and led by Africans that focuses explicitly on research and innovation in monitoring and evaluation for development.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

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8TH African Electro-technical Standardisation Commission General Assembly ends in Accra The 8th General Assembly of the African Electrotechnical Standardisation Commission (AFSEC) was held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra last week.

The General Assembly focused on promoting innovative standardisation of electrotechnical services on the continent, reorienting and adapting processes for a more efficient implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and to make AFSEC more efficient and collaborative in making standardisation results available to experts and users in a fast and high-quality manner.

The two-day hybrid meeting brought together AFSEC members from various African countries including, Nigeria, Egypt, Rwanda, Cote D’Ivoire, South Africa, Zambia, among others.

Mohammed Amin Adam, Deputy Minister for Energy, who spoke on behalf of Dr. Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, the energy minister, called for collaboration between AFSEC and the

International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) to protect the population from unsafe products and prevent various hazards through regulations and ensure compliance with standards.

“Ghana’s position as an associate member of the IEC grants us the privilege to better serve this need by actively participating in the development of standards for use of our citizens in keeping with the fast-changing technological world. The need to keep advancing technical standards for the development of the African continent calls for strengthened collaboration at national and

international levels,” he noted.

Mr. Bernard Modey, the President of AFSEC, called on countries yet to finalise their membership to do so to harmonise and facilitate electro-technical standards and access to electricity.

“We need every country on board to harmonise our electrotechnical standards to not only facilitate trade in electro-technical goods but even more importantly, facilitate greater access to electricity through a regional electricity market that considers falling prices of renewable energy technologies to make electricity more available and at a reasonable

cost,” he said.

Ing. Bukari Danladi, National Committee Chairman of the IEC, on his part, expressed appreciation to AFSEC members for the confidence reposed in Ghana, and their immense support received through their experts.

“Our experts have been involved in the development and publication of three out of the current five AFSEC guides.

AFSEC is being called upon, and Ghana, as a statutory member, will respond accordingly to be the beacon of the application of standards for industrialisation on the continent.

We are proud that Ghana has been given the mandate to lead AFSEC,” he stated. AFSEC was established in 2008 as a subsidiary body of the African Energy Commission (AFREC) to promote everything related to electrotechnical standardisation aiming to promote the electro-technical industrialisation of Africa.

AfDB appoints Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade as Ag Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Service Delivery

The African Development Bank has appointed Mrs. Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, née NdongoSeh, as Acting Vice-President of its Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex, with effect from 1st August 2022.

Akin-Olugbade, a Cameroonian national, is currently the Director General of the Business Development and Delivery Office for the West Africa Region of the Bank Group, where she works with the largest team of Country Managers in the institution. Her work involves engaging in the full complexity of the Bank’s lending and non-lending operations in middle- and low-income

countries, including transition states, as well as innovative and complex cross-border operations.

In often challenging and highpressure environments, including in the Sahel region, she oversees the accelerated delivery of results on the $9 billion West Africa portfolio.

Akin-Olugbade is a seasoned and results-oriented senior executive with close to 30 years of experience in delivering technical, strategic knowledge and leadership, in capital markets, treasury, asset management, product development, and debt management at the African Development Bank.

Notably, she led the team

that originated and financed the landmark Ac c r a - Po ku a s e Interchange, the first fourtier interchange in West Africa.

In 2016, the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. A k i n w u m i A. Adesina, appointed Akin-Olugbade as Deputy Director General for the West Africa Business Development and Service Delivery Office. She became the Director General in 2018.

Akin-Olugbade is a graduate of Université Paris-Dauphine and Université PanthéonSorbonne in France, where she respectively obtained a Master’s degree in Applied Economics and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management.

Commenting on her appointment, Akin-Olugbade said: “I am deeply humbled and honoured by the confidence that Dr. Adesina has shown in me to

serve in this critical leadership role. I look forward to working with the amazing team of Director Generals, Directors in charge of Regional Integration and Transition States, Country Managers, the Bank’s Operational Complexes, and the Senior Leadership Team, to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and delivery of quality operations for all beneficiaries in our regional member countries. Simply put, we will focus on doing more, better, and faster.”

Commenting on the appointment, Adesina said: “I am pleased to appoint Mrs. MarieLaure Akin-Olugbade as Acting Vice-President for the Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex, where she will provide strong leadership and support for the Complex until a substantive Vice President is appointed. Marie-Laure, a respected professional and business leader, will ensure that the Bank operates successfully across its regional member countries and will oversee the full implementation of all aspects of the Bank’s regional directorates.”

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

Supply chain management key to defense industry services improvement and industrialization The Ghana Armed Forces are to intensify their efforts to improve their understanding and application of supply chain management thinking in their various strategic and operational areas. This commitment was made known following the

(DIHOC) project is dependent on supply chain management thinking. This coupled with the fact that the Ghana Armed Forces in collaboration with the Accra Technical University is currently running a Supply Chain management Course

term industrialization, economic growth, and development.

Commenting on the historic donation, some Generals at the General Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces were of the view that: “The donation of the

donation of supply chain management reference books by the Knowledge Development Alliance to the Ghana Armed Forces.

Commenting on the donation, the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama expressed his appreciation for the Knowledge Development Alliance’s initiative and encouraged all personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces to actively use the reference resource to improve their knowledge and understanding of supply chain management best practices.

“The donation of the supply chain book, Executive Insights Series: Compendium of Supply Chain Management Terms is received with gratitude. Supply chain management impacts the day-to-day activities of all areas of government and society. The Defence Sector is no exception.

Having a clear understanding of its influence on the various areas of our portfolio and the services we provide is essential to ensuring we deliver on our mandate,” he said. “Without question, our quest to improve service delivery quality, cut wasteful expenditure, and in particular the success of the already commenced Military Industrial Complex Spearheaded Defense Industry Industries Holding Company Limited

at the Base Ordinance School makes the donation very timely as students would be using the books as reference materials”.

Vice Admiral Amoama reemphasized.

The Knowledge Development Alliance is a first-of-its-kind human capital development partnership between the Ghana Library Authority, the National Lottery Authority, PanAvest International and Partners, and Professor Douglas Boateng. It is focused on creating national awareness of the importance of supply chain management and its link to job creation, service delivery quality, long-

Compendium of Supply Chain Management Terms provides the personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces with direct access to 1000s of terms, abbreviations, metrics, and statistics related to procurement, logistics, and other areas of supply chain management. We now have complete access to supply chain management best practices at our fingertips to enable performance and productivity improvements in the sector” The Executive Insights Series: Compendium of Supply Chain Management Terms remains the only all-inclusive supply chain reference guide in the

world and is the first of its kind to be independently assessed and approved by a national curriculum body, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA). The first edition was published in 2014.

CEO of the Ghana Library Authority Hayford Siaw noted that the Knowledge Development Alliance was proud to provide the Ghana Armed Forces and the Defence sector with a resource and tool that will add to the realization of the country’s development and national security management agenda.

“The Executive Insights Series: Compendium of Supply Chain Management Terms provides a holistic and easily accessible reference of supply chain terminology, calculations, and data which can be used to support, military value chain management, sectorial industrialization and broader socio-economic development initiatives,” he said.

Professor Douglas Boateng, CEO of PanAvest International and Partners and compiler of the Compendium, noted the growing need for supply chain knowledge development in the country.

“Supply chain management involves the seamless management of all interlinked value-adding activities that goods and services encounter as they move through a value-chain.

“A common understanding of supply chain management will undoubtedly enable, the Ghana Armed Forces to achieve further sectorial industrialization, reductions in wasteful expenditure and significant improvements in service delivery quality. The quantifiable gains have a direct and positive impact on long-term national security management and the realization of Ghana’s long term developmental agenda,” Boateng affirmed.

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| FEATURE

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

Institut Pasteur de Dakar, African Risk Capacity and others form alliance to strengthen epidemic preparedness and response

The Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) has entered into a partnership with the African Risk Capacity (ARC), AfriCatalyst and the West African Health Organization (WAHO) to strengthen outbreak preparedness and response to high consequence infectious diseases in West Africa such as Ebola, Marburg, Lassa fever, Meningococcal meningitis, and emerging pathogens of concern. The partnership will also evaluate the capacities for epidemiological surveillance and laboratory diagnostics for viral haemorrhagic fevers in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), model the risk of new and re-emerging outbreaks and epidemics in the region and put in place epidemic contingency plans and countermeasures.

As a WHO collaborating centre for arboviruses (infections caused by a group of viruses spread to people by the bite of infected insects such as mosquitoes and ticks)and viral haemorrhagic fevers, IPD will provide expert opinion to enhance the capacity of the program to evaluate surveillance and laboratory capacities in the region.

IPD has a unique combination of biostatistics, bioinformatics, mathematical modelling, epidemiology, software development and virology that will be used to input parameters for simulating outbreaks and transmission dynamics in the region. IPD will support development of realistic outbreak scenarios deployed to prepare ECOWAS member states in their training and preparedness for response and national contingency plans.

“The Alliance represents a unique partnership of leading African institutions with a global

outlook that brings expertise in science, policy, governance and finance to advance global public health security through epidemic intelligence and outbreak response. As the project meets its goals, the Alliance will represent a critically important convergence of complementary expertise to promote health security in Africa and mitigate the risk of global threats spreading to and from the region”, said Dr Amadou Alpha Sall, CEO, Institut Pasteur de Dakar.

As evidenced from the recent challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, surveillance systems and outbreak preparedness and response are under resourced.

However, with clear leadership, countries in West Africa can introduce policies informed by evidence and by recent epidemics to protect their populations and limit the spread of external threats to West Africa and those endemic in the region and beyond.

For several years, IPD, ARC, and WAHO have been actively involved in efforts to mitigate the adverse impact of health emergencies in the ECOWAS region, in line with their respective mandate and in collaboration with various partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

BMGF support will play a catalytic role for the activities of the Alliance by enhancing AfriCatalyst’s efforts to help coordinate and advance the common agenda of the Alliance, including actions planned under existing and forthcoming partnership agreements to amplify the potential impact of these partnerships as well as the gender sensitivity of epidemic preparedness and response.

“We look forward to supporting the critical work being

undertaken by ARC, WAHO, and IPD in the context of the Alliance to strengthen epidemic preparedness and response in our region. We’re thrilled to be partnering with the BMGF as we fulfill this unique responsibility,” said Daouda Sembene, Chief Executive Officer at AfriCatalyst.

“ARC welcomes this great Africa-led initiative supported by the BMGF as we continue to develop our Outbreaks & Epidemics risk insurance product to enable early containment of epidemic-prone diseases and respond to acute public health emergencies,” said Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and ARC Group Director General.

IPD is rising to the challenge of scaling new innovations, tools and systems to contribute to the global effort to end epidemics and prevent pandemics. In doing so, it aims to become a pioneer for innovative health solutions in an effort to advance inclusivity in access to critical health services in Africa.

About Institut Pasteur de Dakar Institut Pasteur de Dakar is a non-profit private foundation of public utility under Senegalese law, and its objective is of protecting and promoting public health and well-being in West Africa; through 5 different health-related sectors: Research and development; Diagnostics, vaccination, nutrition and environment; Education, training and talent development; Expertise and strategic direction in public health; Production and distribution of human vaccines.

For more information about IPD: https://www.pasteur.sn/en About ARC Agency ARC Agency was established as a Specialized Agency of the AU to help its member countries

improve their capacities to better plan, prepare and respond to extreme weather events, natural and other disasters including Outbreaks and Epidemics, thereby protecting the vulnerable populations against such events.

The Agreement establishing ARC Agency has now been signed by 35 African countries across the continent and that ARC is supporting its member countries to integrate risk management into their policy and development objectives, especially against recurrent disasters (drought, floods, outbreaks and epidemics) and to build resilience and enhance recovery after disasters.

About West African Health Organization WAHO is the Specialized Institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) responsible for health matters in ECOWAS Member States, whose objective is the attainment of the highest possible standard and protection of health of the people in the sub- region through the harmonization of the policies of the Member States, pooling of resources, and cooperation with one another and with others for a collective and strategic combat against the health problems of the sub- region.

About AfriCatalyst AfriCatalyst is an independent, global development advisory firm that strives to build partnerships between global and local actors to promote innovative, evidence- based solutions to Africa’s development challenges.

We aim to make a difference by helping domestic and external stakeholders work collaboratively to achieve positive development outcomes shaped by mutually beneficial partnerships.

12

| NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

JAK Foundation holds maiden youth in agriculture festival in Kumasi A maiden Youth in Agribusiness Festival organised by the John Agyekum Kufuor ( JAK) Foundation was held in Kumasi to showcase the outstanding development of young people within the agribusiness sector in the country.

The three-day festival, which was on the theme: “Youth in Agribusiness in Ghana: The story so far and the way forward,” targeted people aged between18 and 35.

Technology service provision, agri-input dealership, agri advisory and financial service provision, processing and value addition, packaging, branding, digital or online marketing, transportation and distribution as well as agri-tourism were the major areas that took centre stage of the event.

Giving the rationale for the festival, the Convener, Jeffrey Agyemang-Duah, said the festival was to motivate the youth to accept agriculture and its related activities as a commercial business venture by showcasing the success stories of those already in it.

“By getting more young people into agribusiness through

this festival, we believe, it will contribute to the reduction of youth unemployment in Ghana which unfortunately, shot from 8.72 per cent in 2019 to 9.46 per cent in 2020, according to International Labour Organisation,” he said.

He said the 21st century required people who were technologically savvy to lead the transformation of the agriculture sector and since the youth were those involved in ICT, “this is the time for them to get involved and create jobs and opportunities for others.

“We hope to create linkages and networking space among young agribusiness entrepreneurs with industry leaders and investors,” he observed.

The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Prof. Baffour Agyeman-Duah, said the programme was to create a platform for all the players within the sector to come together to share ideas and generate business ideas.

He said agriculture held the key to the development of the country as it had lot of opportunities

within the value chain and could create jobs for the teeming youth.

Prof Agyeman-Duah said from planting through harvesting, transportation to processing, there were lots of jobs that could be generated and employ more people.

He urged the youth not to look at only white collar jobs as the only means of employment, but to look at farming or agriculture that, according to him, held the key to unemployment problem facing the country.

The Akyempinhene of the Juaben Traditional Area, Oheneba Yaw Sarpong Siriboe, urged the youth to reduce the time spent on social media and put the time into productive use such as researching on how to improve the agricultural sector.

He said farming was no more what it used to be in the past, which, he said, was mainly for subsistence.

According to him, “now, farming is a big time business and requires innovations and the use of technology.

“It is no more a profession for the aged, uneducated and the unskilled,” he said.

FEATURE

The Giving Capsules: Covid -19, Marburg Virus and now the MonkeyPox Virus. Vaccines alone won’t end outbreaks – atrisk individuals will have to take action too. Be agile

By Baptista S. Gebu (Mrs.) Vaccines alone won’t end outbreaks – at-risk individuals will have to take action too. Do I say it was Covid-19 pandemic? We are still recording fresh cases as China locks down some residents in Wuhan. It is Covid-19, and then we heard of the Marburg Virus. Now Monkey Pox Virus is also declared a Global Health Emergency as 16,000 cases are reported in 75 Countries, with 5 Confirmed to be dead as at date.

Covid-19 & Marburg virus Research updates and recent news on Covid-19 has it that, Wuhan - the original epicenter of the pandemic is reported to lock down one (1) million residents as they deal with a fresh outbreak.

This comes after fresh studies linked the virus to its market in Wuhan. Recent studies points to the fact that China first ignored the outbreak, silenced the whistle blowers, and when cases began to increase, they attempted a cover

up by which time the whole world was experiencing the insurgence of a new virus - Covid-19. New study reveals truth about the Covid origins. And despite China’s denial about that fate the world perhaps sees Wuhan as the purported origin as the independent reports provided by scientist have more evidence to substantiate the theory that the Huanan market in Wuhan, China was the early epicenter of the covid-19 pandemic finding other alternatives scenarios as “unlikely”. The Wuhan Huanan seafood wholesale market simply known as the Huanan seafood market was a live animal and seafood market in Jianghan District, in Wuhan City, the capital of Hubei province in Central China. Did the virus come from the lab and spread in the market or from the market to the lab?

How about the denial the virus originated from Wuhan. We live

to see what further researches; scientists could prove against all these claims.

From covid-19, we heard briefly of the Marburg Virus.

The threat of Marburg virus disease spread exists but is low and that adherence to protocols and infection prevention and control strategies remain crucial in addition to strengthened continuous surveillance activities for early detection and adequate containment.

Marburg virus Outbreak of Marburg virus’ that causes 90% of patients to bleed to death from their nose, mouth and eyes is reported by W.H.O. Some reported cases suggests patients were not known to each other which suggests virus is spreading more widely. Infected patients become ‘ghost-like’, often developing deep-set eyes and expressionless faces. This is usually accompanied by bleeding

from multiple orifices — including the nose, gums, eyes and vagina.

There have been a dozen major Marburg outbreaks since it was discovered in Marburg, Germany, in 1967. Cases have mostly been in southern and eastern Africa, including Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda, WHO said. Only one other time was a case found in West Africa, after Guinea confirmed a single case.

Now the Monkey Pox Virus and matters arising The Monkey pox virus is spreading at an alarming pace. 75 countries have reported 16,000 cases with 5 confirmed to be dead as at July 31, 2022. Vaccines are said to be running out of stocks.

The monkey pox outbreak was Saturday July 23, 2022 declared a global Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to the Ghana Health

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| FEATURE

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

Continued from page 12 Services (GHS) - the total confirmed cases of the monkey pox outbreak in Ghana are now 34 with the cases recorded in six regions. The GHS has said Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Eastern, and Upper West are the regions where the cases have been identified. The last confirmed case in Ghana was on July 15, 2022 and the ages of cases range from 9 months to 45 years. No fatality has been recorded among cases with majority of cases being male, according to the GHS. To compare past periodic cases linked to travel to widespread countries, health officials have not confirmed Europe and America the primarily centered source of infection for the current monkey pox virus outbreak. The virus is spreading faster right now in Europe and America, making it the epic centers of the world now.

It shows that as of 28 July 2022, there are 2,469 confirmed and 77 highly probable monkeypox cases in the UK: 2,546 in total. Of these, 2,436 are in England alone.

The monkeypox virus is said to be hitting gay men the hardest the daily mail confirmed which an estimated 95% of United States infections also occurring among them. New York City is said to be home to one of the US largest LGBT communities. As at date the global cases stands at: US (5,189), Spain (4, 298), Germany (2,595), UK (2, 546), France (1, 955), Brazil (1, 266), Netherlands (878), Portugal (633) and Italy (480).

Monkeypox is, in general, a self-limiting, non-life-threatening disease in otherwise healthy people. The disease is better known in African countries, where it has been observed and reported over decades, including among children and older people as well as people with underlying conditions.

Beyond social and sexual networks of men who have sex with men, it’s clear that cases in other population groups, including women and children – some of whom may be vulnerable to more severe disease – are increasing, although these remain minimal.

Close-contact sexual transmission is the key mode of spread, but

cases are being detected through household transmission episodes, and sometimes with no clear exposure history at all.

WHO acknowledges the uncertainties about how this outbreak will play out, they however request that we respond to the epidemiology before us, focusing on the most dominant mode of transmission – skinto-skin contact during sexual encounters – and the groups at highest risk of infection. As such, the responsibility for stopping this outbreak is necessarily a joint responsibility, shared among health institutions and authorities, governments, and affected communities and individuals themselves.

Human-to-human transmission occurs among people in close physical contact, with the increase in recent cases linked to sexual contact, suggesting that the virus linked to the disease can be sexually transmitted. The current outbreak highlights the importance of vigilant safe sexual practices and suggests monkey pox can be transmitted while the infected person displays few or no symptoms; however, the risk is currently assessed as low for individuals not routinely engaging with multiple or anonymous sexual partners. Majority of cases were concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners. Would it be too early to designate the virus?

It spreads with contact with an affected person or through bodily fluid like blood and saliva.

The reported incubation period is from 6-16days. However symptoms may last from 2 to 4 weeks. Symptoms include; fever, headache, muscle ache, back pain, swollen lymph nose /nodes, chills and fatigue. There are currently no remedy or cure for the virus yet. But most people are reported to be well on their own in few weeks. But children could die per reports. In 2019 a vaccine was approved. The European Union (EU) approves smallpox vaccine for use against monkey pox. The Center for Disease control (CDC) is also reported to saying smallpox

vaccines are 85% effective in preventing monkey pox.

Epidemiology of the disease Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms very similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe. It is caused by the monkeypox virus which belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. There are two clades of monkeypox virus: the West African clade and the Congo Basin (Central African) clade. The name monkeypox originates from the initial discovery of the virus in monkeys in a Danish laboratory in 1958. The first human case was identified in a child in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970.

Monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding. The incubation period of monkeypox is usually from 6 to 13 days but can range from 5 to 21 days.

Monkeypox is usually selflimiting but may be severe in some individuals, such as children, pregnant women or persons with immune suppression due to other health conditions. Human infections with the West African clade appear to cause less severe disease compared to the Congo Basin clade, with a case fatality rate of 3.6% compared to 10.6% for the Congo Basin clade.

You may be wondering what monkeypox spread is all about?

Monkeypox spreads through close contact with an animal or human that carries the monkeypox virus.

Animal-to-human transmission can occur in people who interact with animals from West or Central Africa or those involved in the exotic pet trade. A person can contract the monkeypox virus via: an animal scratch or bite.

Can you get monkey pox twice? “Most adults who’ve had chickenpox don’t get it again.

“They can get shingles, but that’s typically in a patch of skin on one side of the body. Monkeypox lesions can be seen anywhere on

the body, including the palms or soles.”

How long does monkeypox last?

Monkeypox can spread from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks.

Wondering if smallpox and monkeypox are related? Because Monkeypox virus is closely related to the virus that causes smallpox, the smallpox vaccine can protect people from getting monkeypox.

Past data from Africa suggests that the smallpox vaccine is at least 85% effective in preventing monkeypox.

To those currently at highest risk – men who have sex with men and especially those with multiple sexual partners – WHO say: Get the facts as the disease is spreading, and also know what one can do to protect oneself.

Consider limiting your sexual partners and interactions at this time. This may be a tough message for some, but exercising caution can safeguard you and your wider community. While vaccination may be available to some people with higher exposure risks, it is not a silver bullet, and WHO still ask you to take steps to lower that risk for the time being. If you have or think you have monkeypox, you are infectious – so do everything you can to prevent spreading the disease. Isolate if you can, do not have sex while you are recovering, and do not attend parties or large gatherings where close contact will happen.

Public health officials have advised the practice of basic health precautions, including frequent hand washing with soap and water, covering the nose and mouth when coughing, avoiding obviously ill individuals and addition to avoiding overcrowded areas, such as nightclubs, and consider using safe sexual practices, in countries reporting monkeypox transmission. Seek medical attention if symptoms develop within two weeks of being in affected areas. And remember, Vaccines alone won’t end the monkeypox outbreak – atrisk individuals will have to take action too

By Baptista S. Gebu (Mrs.) Baptista is an influencer, a human resource professional with a broad generalist background. Building a team of efficient & effective workforce is her business. Affecting lives is her calling! She is a Hybrid Professional, HR Generalist, strategic planner, innovative, professional connector and a motivator. You can follow this conversation on our social media pages Facebook / LinkedIn/ Twitter / Instagram: FoReal HR Services.

Call or WhatsApp: +233(0)262213313. Follow the hashtag #theFutureofWorkCapsules #FoWC

14

| COMMENT/ANALYSIS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

Why exceptional service delivery requires team effort Q uite recently, I came across an “unbelievablefacts” excerpt on Facebook which recounted how a Ritz-Carlton waiter in Dubai overheard a gentleman telling his wife who was a wheelchair user that, it was a shame they could not get down to the beach. The waiter promptly informed maintenance about the conversation he had overheard and by the next afternoon, the hotel had built a wooden walkway that led down to the beach to a tent that was set up for the couple to have dinner in.

All this happened because a waiter ‘overheard’ a customer he was serving. Of course, it would have cost them money to build the walkway, but it wouldn’t compare to the cost of sending off an unfulfilled customer who had the impression that, there were parts of the hotel which were inaccessible to persons with disabilities.

In today’s terms, could you imagine the reviews that the client would have given the hotel on trip advisor?

This-not-so-little incident that happened at the Ritz-Carlton got me asking a lot of questions. The first being, is customer service

the responsibility of the front line only? The answer was quick and clear. No, it is not! Yes, it took a person at the frontline to overhear a conversation, but he needed maintenance to fulfill the action. Maintenance would also have required assistance from Procurement, who would have needed budge approval from Finance to engage. Very often, organizations overlook the fact that it takes the whole team working together to ensure that service delivery experience is spectacular.

When the ‘head’ is rotten or detached from the service experience, important information such as ‘overheard’ conversations do not get acted on. Frontline team members can work with confidence and a smile when they have the assurance that the support staff is available to help deliver to customers.

What happens at the front line is a reflection of the leadership and support functions of the organization. How management treats their people, how internal departments relate to each other and how matters concerning our customers’ needs are addressed, all impact the service experience.

Customer service begins long before the consumer of the service meets our organization. There

are people who would check reviews and ratings before they engage. This means, should there be an adverse service review out there, it would shape and form the perceptions of prospective customers before they engage. It is therefore important as a service organization to ensure every client encounter is exceptional as there is no telling when an unsatisfied client would lead the service encounter process.

Here are a few pointers that can help any organization drive their exceptional customer service agenda: 1. Empower your people – This should cut across the cross section of the organization.

An empowered team is not afraid to go the extra-mile to delight customers.

2. Reward exceptional actions and celebrate milestones This would serve as a source encouragement to other team members 3. Train, train, and train again!

- We need to learn to unlearn and learn again to be better at what we do. Training needs not be only formal. Informal training, on-the-job training, real life experiences etc. are all essential in building an exception customer service track record.

4. Understand your clients. Know who you are serving, understand them and make a conscious effort to meet their expectation.

5. Be open to feedback from your clients, and take the information received from them seriously.

6. Do not take customer complaints for granted.

Understanding why the ball was dropped and how you prevent it from happening in future only makes you better.

7. Customer service should not be a preserve for the front line only. Internal engagements also require the same amount of customer etiquette – there is always a customer at the end of the line. It is therefore important to handle requests and queries from colleagues with the same amount of urgency and courtesy.

Clearly, delivering a stellar client experience requires the effort of the whole organization.

It is not a preserve of the front line! #LetsWinTogether!

By Ama Amissah Wujangi, Brand and Marketing Manager, Stanbic Bank

15

| NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

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Members can earn Skywards Miles with partners ranging from airlines, hotels and car rentals to financial, leisure and lifestyle brands. Skywards Miles can be redeemed for an extensive range of rewards, including flight tickets on partner airlines, flight upgrades, hotel stays, tickets, hospitality at sporting and cultural events, tours and moneycan’t-buy experiences.

16

| ADVERT

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

| NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

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Ghana-Nigeria Business Council holds AfCFTA sensitization session for members

By Patrick Paintsil The Ghana-Nigeria Business Council (GNBC), a non-partisan and non-governmental business organization that facilitates trade and investment collaborations between Ghanaian businesses and their Nigerian counterparts, has held a sensitization session on the Pan African Payment and Settlements System (PAPSS) for its members in Accra.

According to the Executive Secretary for the GNBC, Ms. Nadia Takyiwaa-Mensah, the event formed part of efforts to deepen members’ knowledge and understanding of various trade facilitation interventions that are being introduced to advance trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

“As a non-partisan promotional vehicle for boosting trade and investment collaborations between Ghana and Nigeria, one of our main interests is to ensure that our members are aware of the various initiatives that are being introduced by government to advance business between the two countries.

We know a lot about the AfCFTA and all of the things that are taking place around it, especially the PAPSS which most people did not know about. We got a

good representation to educate members about this continentwide payments infrastructure,” she said.

Ms. Takyiwaa-Mensah said the council will continue to carry out its mandate including businessto-business matchmakings to facilitate access to markets for Ghanaian businesses seeking to enter Nigeria and vice-versa.

She further asked members of the council to participate in the upcoming Ghana-Nigeria Business Conference, which will convene the global community to explore and court investment and trade opportunities in Africa.

She added: “We intend to do a lot of business-matchings that facilitate access to markets for Ghanaian businesses seeking to enter Nigeria and vice versa.”

AfCFTA’s Coordinator for Regional Advisors and facilitator for the session, Mr. Francis Mangani, explained the workings of the PAPSS to the participants highlighting the relevance of the infrastructure to the AfCFTA agenda.

He said the continent-wide digital payments infrastructure will boost intra-Africa trade through convenient, real-time and cost-saving payments and settlements for traders.

18

| MARKET REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

WEEKLY MARKET REVIEW FOR WEEK ENDING - JULY 29, 2022 MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS Q3, 2021 GDP Growth

3.3%

Average GDP Growth for 2021

3.3%

2022 Projected GDP Growth

3.7%

BoG Policy Rate

19.0%

Weekly Interbank Interest Rate

21.81%

Inflation for February, 2022

29.8%

End Period Inflation Target – 2022

28.5%

Budget Deficit (% GDP) – Dec, 2021

5.0%

2022 Budget Deficit Target (%GDP)

6.6%

Public Debt (billion GH¢) – Dec, 2021

393.4%

Debt to GDP Ratio – Dec, 2021

78.3%

STOCK MARKET REVIEW The Ghana Stock Exchange strengthened for the week on the back of price gains by 4 counters. The GSE Composite Index (GSE CI) gained 78.36 points (+3.21%) to close at 2,518.86 points, reflecting year-to-date (YTD) loss of 9.70%. The GSE Financial Stocks Index (GSE FI) however lost 12.03 points (-0.57%) to close at 2,115.61 points, reflecting YTD loss of 2.24%.

Market capitalization inched up by 1.43% to close the week at GH¢64,383.34 million, from GH¢63,475.25 million at the close of the previous week. This reflects YTD decrease of 0.17%.

Trading activity recorded a total of 314,961 shares valued at GH¢3,231,680.95 changing hands, compared with 2,086,473 shares, valued at GH¢1,865,540.47 in the preceding week.

MTN dominated volume of trades, accounting for 16.96% of shares traded for the week whiles New Gold dominated value of trades for the week, accounting for 88.63% of values traded.

The market ended the week with 4 leaders and 3 laggards as indicated on the table below.

THE CURRENCY MARKET The Cedi continued its downward trend against the USD for the week. It traded at GH¢7.6120/$, compared with GH¢7.4745/$ at week open, reflecting w/w and YTD depreciations of 1.81% and 21.10% respectively. This compares with YTD depreciation of 0.71% a year ago.

The Cedi also weakened against the GBP for the week.

It traded at GH¢9.2642/£, compared with GH¢8.9915/£ at week open, reflecting w/w and YTD loss of 2.94% and 12.27% respectively. This compares with YTD depreciation of 2.34% a year ago.

The Cedi again weakened against the Euro for the week.

It traded at GH¢7.7658/€, compared with GH¢7.6409/€ at week open, reflecting w/w and YTD depreciations of 1.61% and 12.07% respectively. This compares with YTD appreciation of 2.67% a year ago.

The Cedi further weakened against the Canadian Dollar for the week. It opened at GH¢5.8120/C$ but closed at GH¢5.9388/C$, reflecting w/w and YTD depreciations of 2.13% and 20.16% respectively. This compares with YTD depreciation of 2.62% a year ago.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

19

| MARKET REVIEW

BUSINESS TERM OF THE WEEK Defensive Stock: A defensive stock refers to a company that tends to outperform the share market in periods of economic downturn. A defensive stock can provide a stable dividend yield, earnings and cash flow, regardless of external events that are happening. Its share price remains mostly unaffected by high volatility or economic uncertainty.

Source: https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-gb/ trading-guides/defensive-stocks

ABOUT CIDAN COMMODITY MARKET Crude oil prices rose on the back of next week’s OPEC+ meeting and dimming expectations that the producer group will boost supply. Brent futures traded at US$110.01 a barrel on Friday, compared to US103.71 at week open. This reflects w/w and YTD gains of 6.07% and 41.44% respectively.

Gold prices also inched up as the dollar softened, while investors awaited more economic readings that could determine the pace of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes. Gold settled at US$1,781.80, from US$1,727.40 last week, reflecting w/w gain and YTD loss of 3.15% and 2.56% respectively.

Prices of Cocoa inched up for the week. The commodity traded at US$2,323.00 per tonne on Friday, from US$2,292.00 last week, reflecting w/w gain and YTD loss of 1.35% and 7.82% respectively.

INTERNTIONAL COMMODITIES PRICES

CIDAN Investments Limited is an investment and fund management company licensed by the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA).

RESEARCH TEAM Name: Ernest Tannor Email:etannor@cidaninvestments.com Tel:+233 (0) 20 881 8957 Name: Audrey Asiedua Wiafe Email:aaudrey@cidaninvestments.com Tel:+233 (0) 57 840 2700 Name: Moses Nana Osei-Yeboah Email:moyeboah@cidaninvestments.com Tel:+233 (0) 24 499 0069

CORPORATE INFORMATION GOVERNMENT SECURITIES MARKET Government raised a sum of GH¢1,083.55 million for the week across the 91-Day and 182-Day Treasury Bills.

This compared with GH¢3,524.70 million raised in the previous week.

The 91-Day Bill settled at 26.71% p.a from 26.34% p.a. last week whilst the 182-Day Bill settled at 28.26% p.a from 28.06% p.a. last week. The table and graph below highlight primary market yields at close of the week.

CIDAN Investments Limited CIDAN House Plot No. 169 Block 6 Haatso, North Legon – Accra Tel: +233 (0) 26171 7001/ 26 300 3917 Fax: +233 (0)30 254 4351 Email: info@cidaninvestmens.com Website: www.cidaninvestments.com Disclaimer The contents of this report have been prepared to provide you with general information only. Information provided on and available from this report does not constitute any investment recommendation.

The information contained herein has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but its accuracy and completeness are not guaranteed.

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NO. B24/317 | NEWS FOR BUSINESS LEADERS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

Ben Dzoboku now MD of Republic Bank Republic Bank Ghana Plc has appointed Benjamin Dzoboku as the new Managing Director effective Friday, July 15, 2022.

He succeeds Farid Antar who officially retired from the service on Thursday, July 14, 2022.

A media release issued said prior to his new appointment, Mr Dzoboku was the Chief Operating Officer of Republic Bank Ghana where he was responsible for the following functions: Finance & Strategy, International Trade, Treasury, Administration & Premises, Cash Management, Custody Services, Internal Control, Portfolio Management, Centralised Support and the Bank’s subsidiary and Republic Trust Limited Company.

He has over the years held several positions of responsibility at the bank, including being the Internal Auditor; Financial Controller; Treasurer and General Manager - Retail Banking (including branch network).

He later moved to the position of General Manager - Finance and Strategy before being appointed the bank’s Chief Operating Officer.

Mr Dzoboku joined HFC Bank

(Ghana) Ltd (now Republic Bank (Ghana) PLC) in January 2007 as the Head, Risk Management from SG-SSB where he had commenced his banking career as an Internal Auditor.

Prior to this, he worked with Pannell Kerr Forster (PKF Ghana) as a Senior Auditor.

Education Mr Dzoboku has strong academic and professional qualifications underpinning his achievements.

These include being a Chartered Accountant (ICA, Ghana) and memberships of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIT, Ghana); Institute of Financial Accountants (UK) (fellow) and Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE, USA).

He holds Masters’ Degrees in Business Administration (MBA) (Financial Management) (St. Clements University, UK) and in Public Administration (MPA) (GIMPA, Ghana).

Mr Dzoboku has also participated in several Executive Management programmes, including the Senior Executive Programme in Leadership from Harvard Business School

and Corporate Governance & Compliance and HighPerformance Management Excellence.

Expectation He is expected to continue the transformation process started by his predecessors with the view to growing Republic Bank (Ghana) PLC into a top flight Bank in

Ghana.

Meanwhile, he has assured the board of directors, executives, staff and customers of the Bank that he would continue with the major strides made by his predecessors and the strategic path adopted by the bank.

All hands on deck to push exports strategy, Krapah tells trading community

By Patrick Paintsil Deputy Trade and Industry Minister, Herbert Krapah, has tasked all institutions in the trade sector, both public and private sector, to trigger the various outlined interventions that could drive the successful implementation of the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS).

Addressing stakeholders at the NEDS/AfCFTA National Implementation Workshop in Accra, he said the state exports development strategy is a blueprint for transforming the nation’s export revenues and must be given the needed support to make it work.

“We cannot implement the NEDS without institutional collaboration.

One that recognizes that parties invited to the table truly have something to offer, and will give everything they can to make the strategy successful.”

He added: “If after all the agreements, and protocols, and

annexes, and meetings, and conferences, we do not add value to our abundant and begging natural resources for export, we have failed, and I am confident that we will not fail.”

The NEDS seeks to expand and diversify the nation’s supply base and production capacity with emphasis on processing and value addition; improve the policy, regulatory and legislative environment; and build and expand the required human capital for industrial export development.

The minister commended GEPA for leading the charge

EDITOR: BENSON AFFUL editor@business24.com.gh | +233 545 516 133.

thus far, and urged them to do even more in achieving what he described as an ambitious and audacious target.

PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS24 LTD. TEL: 030 296 5297, 030 296 5315.

He added: “We have built enough momentum for take-off and we must do so with only one outcome in mind: a successful implementation.”

Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, in her welcome speech, reiterated the call for deepened engagement and support from the trade sector: “We need to all put our hands on deck to deliver the nation Ghana from its current state of dependency on imports and this can only be achieved through tackling the situation from the grass roots,” she said.

She indicated that GEPA was charting an integrated approach not only in terms of finding the right mix but also the need for partnerships for a groundbreaking approach to implement the strategy.

“Export matters: it matters for job creation, poverty reduction, and sustainable development. We can only achieve this when we work together,” she added.