The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has threatened to close all shops belonging to its members in Accra on Monday, August 29, 2022.This, according to the association, is to register its displeasure with the country’s Cont’d
bets on ETC guidelines to shore up AfCFTA BUSINESS24.COM.GH NO. B24 / 304 | News for Business LeadersWednesday August 24, 2022 Patricia Sappor launches ‘Creating Wealth and Enjoying It’ Human rights hold the key to protecting biodiversity See page 6 See page 9 Cont’d on page 3 Vlisco boss shares
page
By Eugene Davis ugendavis@gmail.com
GUTA threatens to Monday over cedi depreciation Gov’t career
Herbert Krapa – Deputy Trade and Industry (International Trade) Minister
on page 2
Soronko Academy has hosted Madam Doro Fatoumata, the Managing Director of Vlisco Ghana Group, at the academy’s office. The networking and mentoring session with madam Doro was open to Soronko Alumni and the T he simplicity of mobile money services is one of the reasons for its popularity. Anyone with any type of phone can consume mobile money services by registering a mobile wallet, Cont’d on 9 Cont’d on 3
story agentsmobileliquidityimprovingStrategiesAcademySoronkowithAlumniforformoney
Deputy Trade and Industry Minister in charge International Trade, Herbert Krapa, has confirmed that government has begun negotiations to develop a regulation aimed at attracting private investments for partnership in setting up the Export Trading Companies (ETC’s). According to him, there is no Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) without export, adding that ETC’s will help lift AfCFTA off theSpeakingground. to the press at the Afreximbank Export Trading Companies Seminar in Accra on Monday, he said “We need to By Kwami Ahiabenu, II (Ph.D.)
1 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022
close shops on
page
Continued from cover Gov’t bets on ETC guidelines to shore up AfCFTA ensure that we build ETC’s across Africa, there is no AfCFTA without export and Government of Ghana has a role to play in terms of putting up a regulation to ensure we are able to attract private investments for partnership in setting up these ETC’s, whether is one or medium size, whatever the number is, we need to ensure we are geographically diversed across theHecountry.”alsomaintained that ETCs will provide market intelligence as well as information for small
The state has also reviewed, updated and improved its institutional framework for the upstream oil and gas sector participation of Ghanaian firms and oil and gas professionals in the lucrative hydrocarbons sector is robbing the nation of millions of dollars as most of the sector’s revenue are shipped off the shores of this country.
An ETC is a commercially run and profit-orientated organization which people invest to promote intra- African trade and thus contribute to the development of trade and economic growth of medium enterprises (SMEs), manufacturers among others. AfCFTA, if fully implemented, could raise incomes by 9 percent by 2035 and lift 50 million people out of extreme poverty, he added. For officials of Afreximbank, the benefits of AfCFTA would be realised to a greater extent if ETC’s gains a foothold not only in Ghana but across the continent. Making a case for the establishment of a legal framework for managing the ETC sector, Olufemi Adebiyi, an SME specialist and organisational strategist, indicated that the creation of the
A country in dire need of revenue for developmental projects and other social interventions can no longer leave its highly-resourced and gainful sectors, specifically the extractives, in the hands of foreignThereinvestors.mustbe that conscious effort to build local capital armed with the requisite expertise and competence to thrive in the oil and gas business and the time is now.“facilitative”regulator -within the legal framework, aligns or adjust national industrial policy to reflect the emergence of ETC’s. He said steps that should be taken include: the state intervention to compensate for inadequacies of capital, skilled labour, entrepreneurship and technological capacity. He also stated that there was the need to incentivize the ETC programme with various measures comprising fiscal based measures such as tax incentives, preferential certificate of origin, market readiness assistance and monetary-based measures such as guarantees, priority interest rates andForgrants-in-aid.Mr.Adebiyi, SMEs are predominantly handicapped to undertake commercial export in terms of knowledge, information, capacity/scale, corporate governance and contract sanctity.
Editorial / News Editorial
However, he noted that ETCs are expected to engage the SMEs in a supply-chain relationship with impacts such as improved export behaviour in the short run, growth in the medium term and improved/sustainable productivity ETCs are intended to address the issue of moving from exporting raw materials to industrialised
2 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022 Your subscription -- along with the support of businesses that advertise in Business24 -- makes an investment in journalism that is essential to keep the business community in Ghana well-informed. We value your support and loyalty. Email:Contact editor@business24.com.gh Newsroom: 030 296 5315 Advertising / Sales: +233 24 212 2742
Let’s consciously perk up local interest in oil industry over the last decade to improve governance outcomes as well as to promote transparency and accountability.Thishasbeen done with a view towards managing the technical, environmental and social risks within the sector as well as maximising the fiscal revenues and local content, supply chain and wider industrial development benefits to the country.However, according to the oil revenue watchdog, 10 years after the country started producing oil in commercial quantities, not much has been done towards getting its people in an industry the requires a high technical expertise.Itisafact that the non-active
APIAC analysis has shown that the discovery of oil wealth in the country has largely not impacted its economic fortunes with the state garnering a little over US$6.5bn of an estimated US$31.22bn of total revenue from the exploration of the commodity over the past decade.In2010, the government unveiled the local content and local participation policy which sought to achieve a 90percent Ghanaian content and participation across the value chain of the petroleum sector within a space of 10 years.
Continued from cover general public who were eager to learn from her story on what it takes to lead a global business.
“Our guest of honour shared her work experience with us, from her first job as a Private immediate solutions before things get out of hand. We have decided to close all shops from Monday to officially register our displeasure to the government.”
GUTA threatens to close shops on Monday over cedi depreciation current economic challenges. Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the President of GUTA, Dr. Joseph Obeng, said the depreciation of the cedi has eroded the capital of its members, that’s hampering their operations.Adollaris currently trading at GH¢10, inflation is almost at 32% and the policy rate is currently at 22%.GUTA further called on the government to act swiftly to address their concerns to salvage the ailing economy.
Listen Continued
The activities of the black market are also a matter of concern,” Mr Obeng stated. He added that “These have gotten out of hand and need to the concerns of car dealers. Withdraw compulsory maritime insurance policy, we don’t think you should blame us for the high prices of goods in the market.
Vlisco boss shares career story with Soronko Academy Alumni
Madam Fatoumata was welcomed to the Academy by the CEO, Mrs Regina Honu, who then took her on a tour of the Academy. She visited the kids' coding classes briefly and was impressed by the projects they were working on. With Soronko Alumni and other guests seated, the session introducing herself. She spoke of her humble beginnings in Niger with her family and her love for mathematics as a young lady. She openly shared personal and family experiences that shaped her childhood including her father’s determination and hard work, and her parents’ unfortunate divorce. One of such inspiring stories was about her failing the A levels on her first attempt and then Mathematics Home Tutor to becoming the Managing Director of the leading textile manufacturer and distributor in Ghana, Vlisco.” She has indeed climbed up the ladder of success in her career, gaining experience from her work in Dubai, Nigeria, Senegal and Ghana. She encouraged the audience to work hard and give off their best, even in the most unfavourable circumstances. Again, she was open about her failures, successes, and the opposition she faced when she was appointed to head Vlisco. Her stance in those trying moments was to forgive because she believed in the value of teamwork andHavingcollaboration.puttogether her life plan at age 25, Madam Fatoumata encouraged the ladies to write down their life plans and be intentional with their career choices. She was also open about marriage and family life as part of her life plan. To wrap up the session, the audience was allowed to ask Madam Fatoumata some questions. We are grateful to Madam Fatoumata Doro for honouring our invitation despite her busy schedule, and for the nuggets of wisdom, she shared with us.
candidate in Senegal on her second attempt. The difference, she said, was the intentionality and focus she put into her studies the second time.She moved to France to study Mathematics and Statistics and transferred back to a university in Senegal for her last two years. She currently has a Master's Degree in Mathematics and Statistics.
cover News
3 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022
“The Monetary Policy Rate is 22% meaning that Commercial Lending Rate is over 35%, VAT Standard Rate of 19.25% instead of flat rate of 4%. The huge influx of foreigners in the retail business against our investment loss. Do not review any system to increase duties on importing Second-hand clothing. from
To kickstart the celebration, Vodafone’s Homecoming initiative settled the medical bills of a total of 63 insolvent patients in Kumasi South Government Hospital in the Ashanti region, Asunafo South District Hospital in the Ahafo region, and the Wora-Wora Hospital in the Oti Region. The beneficiaries who prolonged their stay in these various hospitals due to financial screened for Cervical Cancer, Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose, Malaria, Diabetes, Typhoid Fever, Hepatitis B, HIV, Anaemia, and Cholesterol, as well as Ultrasound Scan services, which include Prostate, Abdominal, Pelvic, and Obstetrics Scans. In addition, over 500 residents were registered on the National Health Insurance (NHIS) for free, while others had their cards either replaced or renewed. Vodafone climaxed the celebration with a donation of food items including cartons of dairy products, bags of
4 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022News rice and cooking oil to financially challenged students at KNUST. Speaking on the commemorative activities for the month, the Head of Vodafone Ghana Foundation, Amaris Perbi, "It is a privilege for us to continue empowering and reshaping our societies for the better through our many impactful initiatives. The projects we have embarked on to mark the World Humanitarian Months are no novelty, but what makes them special is how we have successfully executed all these projects on a grand scale within the space of a month. This means that more lives have been impacted within the limited time we had this “Throughmonth.’’ourinitiatives, we are very excited to have joined the global community to ease suffering and bring hope to many. We assure all stakeholders of our continued support to enhance lives and develop our nation,” he continued.World Humanitarian Day, which is celebrated on 19 August, is aimed at raising awareness about humanitarian assistance worldwide and paying tribute to the people who risk their lives to provide it.
As part of efforts to mark this year’s World Humanitarian Month, the charity arm of Vodafone Ghana, Vodafone Ghana Foundation, has embarked on a series of socially impactful projects within the Ashanti, Oti, and Ahafo regions of Ghana.These activities include its Homecoming initiative to rescue distressed patients, the Instant Schools activation to introduce its e-learning portal to students within the region, and the Healthfest initiative to provide free health screening to residents. The Foundation also donated food items to financially challenged students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The Foundation’s team of instructors also spent time with 10,000 students from various schools to introduce them to Vodafone’s e-learning platform, Instant Schools. The free platform gives users unlimited access to teaching and learning materials and is augmenting teaching and learning in the country.
On the heels of these successful initiatives, Vodafone Healthline's team of medical doctors and health professionals organised a free health screening exercise at the Asunafo South District
Vodafone commemorates World Humanitarian Month with various CSR projects
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer responsible for Banking, Rosemary Beryl Archer highlighted the need for GEXIM to explore innovative approaches to create avenues for revenue generation for the Bank’s clients as well as other producers of Made-In-Ghana products.
Gexim’s “Tuesday Market” slated
The GEXIM MIG Town will be opened to the general public from Mondays to Fridays between the hours of 9:00am and 6:00pm and will stock products ranging from skin and beauty care, food and ingredients, leather footwear and slippers to garment and textile. It is designed to be a one-stop shop for everything Made-In-Ghana at unbeatable prices and the highest quality. August 2022 as the date for the next edition of its popular Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Fair dubbed “Tuesday Market”. The Fair is scheduled to take place at the premises of the World Trade Centre in Accra between the hours of 10:00am to 6:00pm the campaign for Ghanaians to patronise Ghanaian made products, thereby, sustaining the businesses of Ghanaian SMEs and help create jobs for more Ghanaians who will be able them contribute to the development of the country”, he added.
5 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022News
the GEXIM, Lawrence Agyinsam, indicated that “Tuesday Market” was initiated to create a platform to showcase the ingenuity of the Bank’s clients as well as other producers of innovative Ghanaian made products.
“Tuesday Market provides the platform for producers of MadeIn-Ghana products to sell their products to members of the general public as well as helping to create awareness about their products.Onthe same day, 30th August 2022, we will be launching the GEXIM Made-In-Ghana (MIG) Town, an outlet that stocks assorted Made-In-Ghana products on the ground floor of the Africa Trade House”, she emphasized.
“If you want to be successful, you must put in place certain mechanisms. I believe that achieving financial independence and how to do so has a lot to do with the knowledge or information that will guide you, which is why this book appeals to me”. Creating more financial awareness and improving financial literacy is one of the goals we have as an institution, and I believe this book is just on time to complement what we do," hePresidentsaid. of Accra Business School, Bishop Titi-Ofei also stated that the youth should acquire the book to guide their progress in life. He congratulated Mrs. Sappor on her excellent book and hoped that more experts in other fields would publish more books to aid Ghana's development.
Rt. Rev. Mrs. Patricia Sappor, Immediate Past President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB), has launched her second book titled 'Creating Wealth and Enjoying It'. The book, which is inspired by very personal encounters with individuals and organizations, seeks to provide in-depth knowledge to readers including persons without finance background regarding the application of critical wealth creation principles to improve their financial lives.
6 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022 also about values that underpin wealth creation some of which are no longer respected today. This book serves as a wake-up call for us to return to these values in order to create sustainable wealth as individuals, families, and organizations, so that together we can build a strong nation,” she said.Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Rev. Daniel Ogbarmey Tetteh reiterated that the book arrived on time to meet the needs of all individuals in terms of financial freedom.
Patricia Sappor launches ‘Creating Wealth and Enjoying It’
Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, second left, launching the book. Looking on from left is Elsie Addo Awadzi, Rosa Whitaker, Bishop Patricia Sappor, Bishop Samuel Mensah, Frederick Sappor and Patience Akyianu
Speaking at the launch, which took place on Saturday, August 13, at the auditorium of Action Chapel International in Accra, Rt. Rev. Mrs. Patricia Sappor, who is the Past Regional Head of Corporate Communications at Ecobank Anglophone West Africa (AWA), observed that many individuals often ended up in financial crises because of inadequate knowledge on how to effectively create and manage wealth. She said the book will not only serve as a guide for every individual but also draw attention to the importance of wealth creation as it highlights personal experiences and underscores the fact that clean wealth can be created using biblical principles.
“This book ‘Creating Wealth and Enjoying It’ was birthed out of my continuous interest and desire to share the wealth of knowledge I have gained about wealth creation. It is also based on some financial lessons I have learnt over the years and observations made in the lives of other people. In my life’s journey, both personal and corporate, I have learnt some interesting lessons and have also observed the various lifestyle changes of different categories of people due to some choices and decisions they made about their finances,” she said. Mrs. Sappor , using a scripture , stated that just being a Christian does not guarantee financial success, but following the right biblical principles is an empirical tool on which anyone can rely in their wealth creation efforts. “2nd Kings 4: 1-2 reads, A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, ‘Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves’. From the above scripture, it is very clear that ‘fearing God’ alone we have refused to tell our stories and have left it for others to tell those stories. I believe that one thing we as Africans need to do is to define ourselves and tell our stories the way we want to, it is high time we changed the narrative,” he urged. “Speaking as the event's chairperson, Mrs. Elsie Addo Awadzi, Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), praised the author for completing and launching her second book, emphasizing that the new book is not only filled with sound financial principles but also real-life experiences that will serve as a guide to achieving financial freedom and improving financial security for all. “Writing a book is not an easy ride. Many dream of doing so but it takes a lot of guts, commitment, and discipline to get it all out of the production line, and I must congratulate you for making this book project a reality. The principles for creating wealth can fill a whole book, as can the principles for maintaining and enjoying wealth, but she manages to combine them all in one book, and the result is a real powerhouse of wisdom”. She stated that the set of values that underpin the book are a clarion call to all to reconsider the values that would help the nation grow in the right direction.
“What struck me is that it is not only a book about money but one will not make you rich nor keep you away from debt but acting and applying the principles of financial planning as prescribed by God Himself will make a difference in your financial life,” sheFoundersaid. and General Overseer of United Denomination of Action Churches (UDAC) and NDW Ministries, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, who launched the book said it is critical to always share personal experiences and knowledge in order to enrich and deepen readers' experiences.
“A new generation will rise up to enter the field of politics, diplomacy, and other business, and it could take them many years to learn the skills required to build their capacity to become better in these fields, and when the time comes to pass the baton to the next generations, they will die and go to the grave with all the knowledge they have accumulated. There is a lot of knowledge in the grave which never had the opportunity to be institutionalized as we are witnessing today.” He believes the time has come for Africa to change the narrative by telling the story in its own unique way. This, he claims, is possible if people seize the opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge with the rest of the world.
“One thing about Africa is that
Hon Adelaide Ntim who is busily familiarizing herself with issues confronting the constituency said she value the contribution of chiefs to the development of her community hence the immediate response to the request by the Omanhene despite the difficult economicAccordingchallenges.toher, the gesture would serve as a memorable birthday present to the Omanhene is celebrating his birthday.Shecalled on the people of
The gesture by the MP was in response to a request by the Omanhene in order to bring relief to the people especially children who have been plagued with diseases for many years. The residents who expressed a sigh of relief say the intervention by their representative will go a along to reduce the disease burden affecting the town and its surrounding communities.
service agreement with them in January this year. We are happy to be expanding our collaboration to include life insurance policies for our congregations, training and job opportunities for our youth to provide them with a consistent stream of income, and also to receive funding support for the Council’s future strategic plans.”
Sanitation: Nsuta-Kwamang Beposo MP clears 50 year old dumping site
this partnership”, he added. Mrs. Kakra Duffuor Nyarko, Chief Executive Officer of StarLife Assurance, noted that: “StarLife is excited to be partnering with the GPCC to offer innovative insurance solutions to member churches. We acknowledge the good work that the GPCC is doing for the country, the Church and our communities and as such, we are committed to supporting the Council as you embark on developmental projects in our communities. Together, we will achieve great things for the Church and for our country at large.”“As your solid partner for life, these policies span generations; from preparing for seamless quality education for your children, an endowment plan to financially prepare for your medium to long term goals, to providing a befitting farewell for your parents. StarLife is covering all aspects of life, whiles protecting you against the effects of life’s uncertainties,” she disclosed.
A s a demonstration of her commitment towards addressing the sanitation challenges facing her people, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Nsuta-Kwamang Beposo in the Ashanti Region, Ms Adelaide Ntim has cleared a fifty year old mountainous dumping site at the Beposo town. The Beposo landfill site which is believed to have been in existence for well over fifty years with many health challenges to the people was brought down, all debris cleared and the ground leveled with the aid of bulldozers, trucks and other logistics provided for at the cost of theLandfillsMP. or dumping grounds popularly known as ‘borla’ in the local Ghanaian parlance are designated un-engineered sites where all manner of waste including household and commercial wastes are dumped. Due to their un-engineered nature and the lack of constant maintenance, these sites become threats as a result of disturbing odor, smoke, noise, visual pollution, water pollution due to their surroundings clean to help develop the area devoid of diseases.Central government is release of toxic substances into water bodies, bugs with varied health consequences such as respiratory diseases, cancer and birth defect to resident of such communities across the country.
“This partnership will enable member churches to benefit from policies like the StarLife Child Education Plan, WealthMaster Plus Plan, Ultimate Protection Plan, Supreme HomeCall Plan and other Group Welfare Policies. We therefore encourage all member churches to work with StarLife in order to benefit from
StarLife Assurance has entered into a novel strategic partnership with the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) to provide tailormade life insurance policies that will secure member churches of GPCC, of which there are over 200 member churches, their families, and ultimately support theByCouncil.relying on StarLife’s bestin-class products and trusted insurance expertise, this novel agreement enables member churches of the GPCC and their families to benefit from uniquely designed life insurance policies, provide support for projects and programs of GPCC, and to provide job opportunities for the youth. Launching the partnership at the Royal House Chapel International in Accra on Thursday 18th August 2022, the General Secretary of GPCC, Rev. Emmanuel T. Barrigah, stated: “StarLife Assurance has already been supporting some projects of the GPCC after we signed a StarLife assurance partners the GPCC to offer insurance policies for member churches
7 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022News collaborating with private sector stakeholders such as Zoomlion of the Jospong Group to build recycling plants at least in every region to help address the sanitation problems facing the country.
Strategies for improving liquidity for mobile money agents which serves as a store of value. Mobile money users can also send and receive money, make payments and consume myriad services including insurance, pensions and loans from the mobileMobilephone.money service is organised around several players, namely the money phone provider, typically Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) who are licensed as Electronic Money Issuers (EMIs) by the Bank of Ghana. MTN Ghana, Airtel Tigo and Vodafone Ghana are all MNOs offering mobile money services. Furthermore, Ghana Pay is offered by a consortium of banks in Ghana, while G-money is a service by GCB Bank, and Zeepay, a Fintech company. These six companies are serving over 27 million registered mobile money accounts, with MTN holding the title of market leader. Mobile money agents are another important part of the mobile money service architecture; they play a crucial role as an intermediary between EMIs and mobile money users, especially when exchanging cash. The prominent role played by mobile money agents makes them the face of mobile money. Although mobile money agents provide many services, one of the most popular services they provide is called cash-in and cash-out. This service allows a mobile money user who wants to withdraw cash from a mobile money wallet to execute what is called a cash-out by following prompts to authorize the mobile money agent to debit a stated amount of cash from the user’s mobile money wallet. Once the authorization goes through, based on the availability of funds and security checks, the mobile money agents will give the client the said amount in cash. Essentially the mobile money agent is serving as a “human ATM” dispensing cash to users. For the mobile money agents to perform this function, they must have sufficient cash. If, for some reason, they do not have this cash in the till, the cash-out service does not work. On the other hand, if a client wants to deposit funds on their mobile money wallets or send funds to a third party, the mobile money agent needs to less revenue for them, which in the long run impacts negatively on their business.
8 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022News
Kwami Ahiabenu, II (Ph.D.) is a Technology Innovations Consultant E-mail: kwami@mangokope. com perform a cash-in function. In this direction, the mobile money agent will accept physical cash from the clients and, in return, credit the clients' mobile money wallet with the said amount or transfer funds to a third party on the client’s behalf. The mobile money agent can only perform this function of cash-in if they have enough electronic money on their mobile money agents’ wallets, called an e-float. If for some reason there are no funds on the e-float, the mobile money agent cannot provide a cash- in function.Mobile money agents’ liquidity challenge occurs when they do not have sufficient cash to provide cash-out service or enough funds in their e-float to offer cash-in services. Unfortunately, several mobile money users experience this challenge when they visit mobile money agents to transact business. Mobile money agents earn their revenue through commissions on transactions, if they cannot perform transactions due to a lack of physical money or funds on their e-wallet, it means
Continued from cover
There are no easy answers to solving the mobile money agents’ liquidity challenges. Low operating capital means some mobile money agents do not have physical cash or funds on their e-float to serve their clients. Secondly, some mobile money agents do not have the skills and knowledge to correctly predict the optimal physical cash or e-float amount they need to maintain to be able to service clients comfortably. Also, the high incidences of robbers targeting mobile money agents makes it a risky business.
Several solutions are proffered to solve this mobile money agent’s quagmire. First, EMIs, through super agents; agents who are more extensive and endowed with more resources, can support agents with physical cash and e-float top-ups on demand based on agreed business arrangements. Second, mobile money agents’ operations should have technology embedded to properly record their transactions and spot trends to predict their cash requirements.
Third, some FinTech, such as Onango recognizing this liquidity challenge provides mobile money agents with short-term loans to deal with physical cash and e-float demands. Lastly, some banks and financial institutions, including microfinance, also supports mobile money agents with on-demand liquidity support.Inconclusion, mobile money agents are now firmly interwoven into our society, playing a pivotal role in facilitating mobile money transactions, especially cash-in and cash-out services, therefore, any innovations that can help them solve their liquidity challenges will go a long way to sustain the growth of mobile money as a tool for development.
Human rights hold the key to protecting biodiversity
In October 2021, two tractors with a large chain stretched between them cleared more than 2,000 hectares of forest in the Brazilian Cerrado, one of the world’s most biodiverse areas. Tragically, such scenes have become all too familiar in the region.In2021 alone, 8,531 square kilometers (3,294 square miles) of the Cerrado’s forests, grasslands, and other native vegetation were destroyed – the highest rate since 2015. And in recent decades, 4055% of the Cerrado biome has been converted to croplands, pastures, and tree plantations, with much of the deforestation making way for large industrial soy monocultures and cattle production. Agribusinesses have dispossessed thousands of communities in land grabs and destroyed the surrounding environment.TheCerrado is a tragic and alarming example of how quickly the world’s biological diversity is being lost. The region is estimated to be home to 12,000 plant species – 35% of which grow nowhere else in the world – as well as around 25 million people, including indigenous peoples, smallholder farmers, and other communities where traditional livelihoods depend on biodiversity. All are in urgent need of protection. For the past few years, governments have been negotiating a new Global Biodiversity Framework under the auspices of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. But very little progress was made at the most recent round of talks in June, and though there is a global consensus on the urgent need to act, the current debate is based on two dangerously mistaken premises. The first is the assumption that human societies and ecosystems exist separately from one another, implying that the best way to and local Governmentscommunities.need to look beyond “30x30” and “naturebased solutions” to put human rights at the center of the Global Biodiversity Framework. Doing so acknowledges that human societies and natural ecosystems are inextricably connected, and that biodiversity protection requires a shift to more sustainable social and economic models. The goal should be to achieve human and ecosystems’ well-being, not shareholder value. A human-rights lens sharpens the focus on those people and communities who are most affected by today’s destructive practices. It shows that we need to address the drivers of biodiversity loss – extractive and industrial activities – rather than entrusting protection of the world’s ecosystems to corporations and financial markets. Governments are required to hold these entities accountable for the damage they cause to the environment and human communities, and to protect the rights of indigenous peoples, smallholder farmers, and others who have long helped protect the world’s precious ecosystems.Ourfood systems are a prime example of why we need a different approach. The crops and animal breeds that feed humanity co-evolved with human farming communities over the course of millennia. But with the expansion of industrial farming models since the twentieth century, we have radically broken from this tradition, destroying 75% of biological diversity in our food and agriculture. Most food systems today are based on deforestation, land degradation, use of pesticides, pollution, high energy consumption, genetic homogeneity, and socioeconomic inequity.We cannot solve the biodiversity crisis without conserve biodiversity is to carve out protected areas that exclude all human activity. Hence, most of the focus today is on the “30x30” campaign to establish formal protections for 30% of all land and marine areas by 2030. But this “fortress conservation” approach has already been tried, and it was shown to lead to systematic violations of local communities’ rights. By deploying such strategies, governments risk sidelining precisely the people who live closest to the ecosystems that we are trying to protect, and who play a critical role in sustainably managing those resources to preserve their own livelihoods.Thesecond flawed premise guiding today’s negotiations is that protecting biodiversity must be turned into a business. Instead of ensuring that industrial and financial activities are regulated to avoid harming people and the planet, the current proposals focus on trying to transform the biodiversity crisis into another opportunity to boost corporate profits.In “green” business and financial circles, the current buzz is about “nature-based solutions,” a term used to describe interventions ranging from reforestation to carbon markets. The concept has a nice ring to it, and it has been endorsed by the UN Environment Assembly. But it is dangerously ill-defined. Those who use the term seldom refer to human rights and tend to focus instead on offsetting schemes, such as carbon markets, which tie the protection of biodiversity in one place to its ongoing destruction elsewhere. Rather than a remedy, “nature-based solutions” are becoming part of the problem, serving as a license for business as usual, or even encouraging more land grabs in areas traditionally managed by indigenous peoples
9 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022Feature
Project syndicate
transforming these dysfunctional food systems. In their place, we can embrace agroecology, which has been shown to be a powerful and effective approach to food production, distribution, and consumption. Agroecology fosters biodiversity by stimulating synergies within ecosystems to boost resilience and productivity. Instead of degrading the land, agroecology revitalizes soils and contributes to their restoration andThisconservation.approach – oriented toward generating integral wellbeing – has always been taken by indigenous peoples, peasants, and other smallholder food producers. Traditional, collective knowledge of sustainable farming (much of it held by women), together with locally adapted and self-reliant innovations, is central to these groups’ management systems. Protecting this knowledge and supporting agroecology is essential to the shift toward a more sustainable, healthy, and just manner of producing, distributing, and consuming food. A good example is Cuba, where peasants and urban farmers have boosted food production and resilience while dramatically reducing the use of agrochemicals. One key factor in their success has been the strengthening of peasant networks to facilitate knowledge sharing. This year’s biodiversity negotiations are a crucial opportunity for world leaders to agree on a plan to protect both nature and people. But a new framework will succeed only to the extent that it guarantees the rights of indigenous peoples, peasants, and other smallholder food producers, while putting the worlds’ food systems on a path toward agroecology.
Whichever way, it is not fun to pay considerably more for domestic power consumption, but if it means giving industry more space to help grow the economy, then perhaps it is worth bracing oneself for, even if through gritted teeth. Regardless, I will certainly be keeping an eagle eye on my electricity meter at home and will take energy conservation more seriously. ??????Every little helps.
While the lifeline band parameters have been redefined downwards to 0-30Kwh and residential consumers of all categories have seen upwards adjustments of their tariff rates and service charges of up to 36 per cent, non-residential consumers will have a different experience.
PURC justification
For instance, those within the 0-300Kwh band, which ropes in small businesses, such as tailoring shops, barbering salons, cold stores, welding and others will see a much lower rate of increase of five per cent.
It, therefore, makes practical business sense for a person who runs, say a tailoring or cold store business from home to register the business and get a nonresidential meter for that part of the home from which he runs the tailoring business, thereby saving up to about 30 per cent in electricity bills. Those in the medium band of non-residential consumers (301600Kwh) actually get a reduction from 84.9097 Ghana pesewas per kilowatt hour to 89.1552 Ghana pesewas per kilowatt hour. The high end (601+) will also experience a reduction from 133.9765 Ghana Pesewas per kilowatt hour to 133.0919 Ghana Pesewas per kilowatt hour. The High Voltage mines sector will see no change in tariff for miningThesefirms.details contained in the press release are interesting for the fact that non-residential customers will actually pay a lower rate of increase than residential customers, and in some cases
By Rodney Nkrumah-Boateng
???Rodney Nkrumah-Boateng, Head, Communications & Public Affairs Unit, Ministry of Energy. E-mail: rodboat@yahoo.com
Press release detail When I took the trouble to read the press release announcing the tariff increases, I noted that 27.15 per cent increase in electricity that was being bandied about was in fact an average figure, and not that the rate was applicable across the board to all users. This is for the simple reason that there are several categories of consumers and in some cases there had been increases, while other categories had seen a reduction, with no movement either way in certain cases. As they say, the devil lies in the detail, and perhaps the more accurate position of an average increase of 27.15 per cent should have been the narrative.
Future According to the African Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), the inflation and exchange rate factors that fed into the PURC’s computation in arriving at its figures were unrealistically low and would only lead to major upward adjustments going forward as reality bites. While Mr Kwadwo Poku of the Institute for Energy Policy and Research (INSTEPR) agrees that these indicators (among others) used by the PURC were on the lower side than what pertains now, he believes that the thinking of the PURC lies in the context of a three-year projection with automatic quarterly adjustments, and which, hopefully, could reflect in more stable prices if inflation and the exchange rate are brought under control and move into steadier waters away from the current turbulence.
Ghana Water Company Ltd (GWCL) was demanding over 300 per cent increase in end-user tariffs.ECG and the NEDCo proposed
The headline news the other day that the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) had approved increases in the power and water tariffs over the next three years by 27.15 per cent and 21.55 per cent respectively, effective September 1, 2022, did quite understandably cause some stir in the public square.Naturally, nobody takes delight in paying more for the consumption of anything, particularly in these trying economic times, so one would not expect clapping and handkerchief-waving over the revelation of this news.
Of course, from where I sit at the Ministry of Energy, my preoccupation with, and interest in this announcement lay in the power tariffs, with quite a considerable number of friends reinforcing this by forwarding the headline announcement to me and demanding answers to the power tariff increment.
will even get a reduced or static rate, which appears to mark an important turning point in policy direction terms. It is the totality of these different adjustments that results in the average of 27.15 per cent increment.
148 per cent and 113 per cent increases, respectively, whilst VRA and GRIDCo sought 37 per cent and 48 per cent increment, respectively.
Background It is important to note that the last major review of tariffs was done in 2018, which resulted in a 17.5 per cent reduction for residential and 30 per cent for non-residential users in electricity tariffsThis year, as it has always been, the PURC held extensive stakeholder consultation sessions, some of which I had the privilege of attending. They were boisterous and vibrant sessions, with the utilities service providers, such as, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Northern Electricity Development Company (NEDCo), the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) forcefully making their case in glossy presentations for increases in their respective tariffs, and various bodies, including civil society organisations and industry representatives strongly underlining an almost rebellious ‘yentua’ (we won’t pay) position relative to the rates being demanded by these companies. The palpable angst during these engagements was not difficult to figure out, for the requests by these companies were truly eyepopping and migraine-inducing.
The PURC, in its release, extensively sets out the basis on which it seeks to grant nonresidential consumers such latitude in terms of its approved increases.Perhaps it is important to quote the Commission extensively from the press release: “The Commission gave considerable thought to the role of small and medium-scale enterprises in the country’s economic development, in particular, the creation and/ or preservation of jobs and livelihoods.“Theexisting tariff is structured in a manner that slaps industry with punitive tariffs in order to subsidise residential consumers of Thiselectricity.structure has contributed to loss of competitiveness of Ghanaian industry, including small and medium-sized household enterprises. The implications for jobs and the general welfare of residential consumers is adverse and obvious.“Toaddress the challenge, for the first time, industry, including small and medium-scale business owners of hairdressing and beauty parlours/salons, barbering shops, tailoring and dressmaking shops, welding, mechanics, cold stores, chop bars, vulcanising and carpentry workshops, among others, will now pay lower tariffs than the residential consumer class.“This is to address the high electricity cost for industrial customers, which has been repeatedly identified in the AGI Business Barometer as the key challenge affecting the competitiveness of Ghanaian industry in the global market place.“The objective here is to support industry to expand and enhance its ability to generate decent“Thisemployment.tariffdecision is a first step in a gradual process to invert the tariff structure over the next few years in support of the industrialisation programme of government.”
Unbundling PURC’s new power tariffs
Dr Ishmael Ackah — Executive Secretary, PURC
10 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022Feature
Isaac Adu-Gyamfi, Managing Director of Ianmatsun Global Services, said. To be held under the theme ‘Leading the Sustainability Transition through Private-Public Partnerships and Collaborations, the awards are open to all businesses and organisations across the public and private sectors and of all sizes from the largest multinationals to the smallest micro-organisations.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), R. Yofi Grant, together with the Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Consultancy, Walid Hareb Al Falahi, and Executive Director of Business Development and Project Planning, Nabih AlNahdi, have paid a courtesy call on the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia last week. The purpose of the visit was to brief the Vice President on investment-related engagements held so far and key partnerships for cooperation between Ghana and the UAE. Key amongst these engagements are meetings with the Ministry of Energy on their proposed Solar project, the GIPC boss leads Dubai investors to meet Bawumia the environment, deploy best practices in the area of sustainability and can be replicated and scaled up across the country to achieve nationally improved quality-of-life, sustainability and climate goals. This awards scheme honours the most innovative sustainable initiatives in a various categories. Nominees and applicants are encouraged to apply for the award category that best represents the primary goal or overall benefit of the initiative. To nominate kindly visit www. ssigh.com/nominate,” Mr. AduGyamfi added.
‘Awards scheme seeks to reward excellence for sustainable social responsibility for corporate bodies and Nominationsindividuals’have officially opened for the 6th edition of the annual Sustainability and Social Investment Awards (SSI). With nominations now opened, corporate organisations, civil society organisations, and individuals are encouraged to submit their entries before or on Thursday, September 29, 2022. The ceremony comes off on Friday, November 18, 2022, at Kempinski Hotel, Accra. The awards scheme, which seeks to honour and celebrate individuals and corporate bodies for their consistent investments in socially responsible programmes that impacted and continue to impact society, has over the years honoured business leaders, corporate institution and not-forprofit as Throughwell.the 5th edition, the SSI Awards has received more than 600 registered applications from more than 200 organizations representing various industry sectors across several categories.
Hosted and organized by Ianmatsun Global Services, the 2022 edition of the Sustainability & Social Investment Awards is endorsed by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), National Road Safety Authority (NRSC) and supported by the Ministry of stakeholders and accelerates sustainable business growth,”
“The awards scheme offers a unique opportunity to have your sustainability achievements recognised and admired by
For this year's awards, the organisers and partners have developed a set of categories that reflect the latest trends and practices in sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).From the most ambitious netzero carbon programmes through to cutting-edge climate leadership innovations; from impactful climate partnerships and social sustainability initiatives to the heroes on the ground who are driving positive change.
11 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022News on available investment projects.Ministry of Youth and Sports on collaborations for the world cup in Qatar, and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources
Nominations open for 6th Sustainability & Social Investment (SSI) Awards
“As long as the initiative, project, product or strategy shows commitment, credibility and concrete results, we want
• The Canadian fintech landscape•Financial literacy for Youth and Newcomers. The Afrifursa Fintech Summit, AFRIFIN will be held on the 22nd of September 2022 from 10 am – 4 pm ET/ 4 pm – 10 pm CAT. Register to secure your virtual seat at: afrifin2022
To go global and diversify trade partners, to engage African newcomers and Diasporan communities more, to attract FDI from foreign tech firms. This second edition offers innovation and masterclasses. Selected participants will engage with renowned speakers to learn about:• Venture Capital fund investing in African tech
January to May 2022, African start-ups received a record amount of over US$2.7 billion in funding, according to disrupt Africa with much of that going to fintech.Canada, on the other hand, currently has the fastest growing tech market in North America. The province of Ontario is considered a hotbed for fintech with over 750 and the City of Toronto is globally considered one of the world’s most attractive centers for fintechs. Both Africa and Canada have a large amount of knowledge and best practices to share in the fintech ecosystem. AFRIFIN offers a unique opportunity. For the African side: To engage Diasporan communities that contribute significantly to tech innovation, to gather opportunities for shared thought leadership, understanding of the fintech startup environment, market intelligence, and awareness of B2B opportunities. Musewe said he has been fascinated by “fintech’s ability to address some of Africa’s deepest challenges and disparities”. Therefore, AFRIFIN was launched “to reduce the barriers and forge direct linkages,” between Canadian and African fintech stakeholders. The Future of Fintech Is Unfolding in Africa It all started with the realization that “Fintech in Africa can reach the most remote populations geographically but also those who are socio-economically distanced from traditional financial services;” Africa holds approximately 573 fintechs forbesafrica.com/brand-(https://www.
AFRIFIN Fintech Summit 2022: Building an Africa-Canada Fintech Ecosystem that fosters inclusive development
12 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022Feature
After an inaugural edition that registered more than 440 participants and top-tier stakeholders from the global fintech space, as well as rising stars of the African fintech ecosystem, the AFRIFIN virtual summit now launches its 2nd edition.Theacquisition of Oklahomabased Global Technology Partners (GTP) by the African fintech MFS Africa shows that African fintechs are changing the rules of the game. The Afrifursa Fintech Summit, AFRIFIN is the platform that brings together dynamic founders, latest innovation, and exciting opportunities for collaboration between Africa and Canada.AFRIFIN, founded by finance expert Tapfuma Musewe, fulfills a vision: shifting the narrative
13 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022
14 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022Feature
Second, for “financialized” commodities, an increase in the interest rate encourages institutional investors to shift out of the commodities asset class and into Treasury bills. Lastly, for a commodity that is internationally traded, an increase in the domestic real interest rate causes a real appreciation of the domestic currency, which works to lower the domestic-currency price of theEconometriccommodity. analyses have demonstrated the statistical relationship between real interest rates and commodity prices. These include simple correlations; regressions that control for other important determinants, such as GDP and inventories in a “carry trade” model; and high-frequency event studies that are much less sensitive to the econometric problems of the regressions.
Two episodes illustrate that the effect of real interest rates on commodity prices operates independently of the GDP effect. Neither the spike in dollar commodity prices in the first half of 2008 nor the decline in 2014-15 can be explained by fluctuations in economic activity. They can instead be interpreted as the result, respectively, of loose US monetary policy (quantitative easing) and a tightening of US monetary policy with the end of QE.Real interest rates appear to be on a firm upward trend, because nominal interest rates will rise, and inflation will fall. Together with decelerating global growth, that could mean that the recent decline in real prices of oil, minerals, Big movements in the prices of oil, minerals, and agricultural commodities have been among the most salient economic developments of the past couple of years. The sharp rise in commodity prices for much of this period was virtually impossible to miss. A barrel of Brent crude that sold for $20 in April 2020, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, fetched a peak of $122 in March 2022, just after Russia invaded Ukraine.Oilwas not the only commodity to experience a price surge. The price of copper doubled; wheat more than doubled; and global indices of commodity prices almost tripled from April 2020 to March 2022. And these increases are in dollar terms; prices in euros, yen, won, or other currencies rose even more. Less widely noted, however, is that the prices of many commodities fell this summer. The price of oil decreased by about 30% between early June and mid-August. The politically sensitive price of gasoline in the United States fell by 20% over the same period, from $5 per gallon to $4 per gallon. The overall index fellIs12%.this dip in commodity prices just temporary? Or is it a sign that prices have peaked and can be expected to decline further? Commodity prices are highly correlated. One reason is direct microeconomic linkages. When the price of oil rises, wheat producers’ costs increase (because harvesting equipment
By Jeffrey Frankel
Why commodity prices are likely to fall further
runs on diesel and fertilizer is made from natural gas), which puts upward pressure on grain prices.There are two macroeconomic reasons to think that commodity prices in general will fall further. The level of economic activity is a self-evidently important determinant of demand for commodities and therefore of their prices. Less obviously, the real interest rate is another key factor. And the current outlook for both global growth and real interest rates suggests a downward path for commodity prices.Notall prices will fall. Different commodities tell different stories. For example, the market price of natural gas in Europe is bound to rise further, as the continent learns to manage winter without Russian supplies. But the trend will likely be downward elsewhere.Strong global growth, especially in China, can explain the major commodity-price upswings of 2004-07, 2010-11, and 2021. Conversely, plunging global growth can explain the abrupt falls in commodity prices during the Great Recession from mid2008 to early 2009 and during the pandemic recession from January to April 2020. Global growth is currently slowing. China’s economy has faltered dramatically. Growth there actually turned negative in the second quarter, as Shanghai and some other large cities endured lockdowns pursuant to President Xi Jinping’s futile zeroCOVID policy. Europe’s economy will be hit hard by side effects of
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Even US growth is slower in 2022 than it was last year, with many proclaiming that a recession has begun. (Personally, I am still willing to bet that no US recession started in the first part of the year and that either firstquarter or second-quarter GDP will be revised upward by the end of InSeptember.)itsmostrecent update, the International Monetary Fund projected global growth to slow sharply, from 6.1% in 2021, to 3.2% in 2022 and 2.9% in 2023. Slower growth means lower demand for commodities, and hence lower prices.Moreover, as the US Federal Reserve and other central banks tighten monetary policy, real interest rates are likely to rise. This will probably push down commodity prices, and not just because high real interest rates make a recession more likely. The level of real interest rates affects commodity prices independently of GDP, both in theory and empirically.Thetheory of the relationship between real interest rates and commodity prices is longestablished. The simplest intuition behind the relationship is that the interest rate is a “cost of carrying” inventories. An increase in the interest rate reduces firms’ demand for holding inventories and therefore lowers the commodity price. Three other mechanisms operate, in addition to inventories. First, for an exhaustible resource, a rise in the interest rate increases the incentive to extract today and thus expand the available supply.
training
15 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022Feature
MEST Africa Challenge 2022 opens for applications software and entrepreneurship program, MEST Africa opened the 2022 MEST Africa be accepted till August 30, 2022, through the
applications for
competition’s online portal toinfromcountriescompetitionstoSouthNigeria,technologyapplication/mest-africa-challenge/https://vc4a.com/mest/2022--Pre-seedtoseedstagestartupsinGhana,Senegal,Kenya,andAfricaareinvitedtoapplyparticipateintheregionaltobeheldintheseinOctoberthisyear.TwofinalistswillbeselectedeachcountrytoparticipatethefinalDemoDayPitcheventbeheldinAccra,Ghanafor
cumulatively since inception) ● Currently generating revenue ● Can demonstrate traction in one or more of the five MAC Markets (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal) ● Has been in operation for 2 years or less ● Tech-enabled (software company)●Industry agnostic ● Any business model (B2B, B2C, B2B2C, B2G etc...) Key benefits of the program: ● Funding of up to $50,000 ● Perk prizes from MEST Strategic Partners ● Global visibility ● Build your networks ● Professional coaching ● Mentorship from experts ● Join the global MEST Community for lifetime benefits Pan-African
Challenge. Entries will
technology startups looking to get to the next level of their growth journey. The challenge provides a stage for technology start-ups to raise funding, build industry networks and gain international visibility that would serve them well in growing and expanding theirThebusinesses.competition has received thousands of applications from around the continent since its inception. It has spotlighted and impacted the growth of winning startups such as Tanzania’s Kilimo Fresh, Ghana’s OZE, South Africa’s Snode Technologies, Kenya’s Waya Waya, and Nigeria’s Accounteer.Eligibility
has
seed fund, and incubator,
Criteria for MAC 2022:● Pre-seed or seed-stage (have raised $100k total or less the ultimate prize of $50,000 in equity.Speaking on the 2022 edition of the competition, MEST Africa’s Director of Portfolio, Melissa Nsiah said, “We are excited to bring back this competition to give more African Startups a platform to showcase and build on their unique value in an era where African startups and innovations are taking center stage and gaining global recognition and investments. We look forward to an invigorating season that will increase the drive towards building better business in RunAfrica.”by pan-African training program, seed fund, incubator and hub, MEST Africa, the MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) is Africa’s go-to pitch competition for
16 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022
17 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022
18 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022Markets CONTINUED ON PAGE 19 WEEKLY MARKET REVIEW FOR WEEK ENDING August 19, 2022
19 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 WEEKLY MARKET REVIEW FOR WEEK ENDING August 19, 2022
A short-term consultant for the World Bank, Gavu is also a board member of the African Real Estate Society (AfRES), serves as chair of the Future Leaders of the African Real Estate Society (FLAfRES), and is a member of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS). At the GSD, Gavu plans to work on the pricing of residential rental housing units in the Global South during global shocks, including pandemics.Hisgoal is to provide information to housing market stakeholders that will enable them to understand the operations of the rental market during global shocks and to offer policy directives based on findings. One of the fellowships and prizes administered by the GSD’s Department of Urban Planning and Design, the Pollman Fellowship was established in 2002 through a gift from Harold A. Pollman. It is given yearly to an outstanding postdoctoral graduate in real estate, urban planning, and development who spends one year in residence at the GSD as a visiting scholar.
20 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022 MONDAY MAY 3, 2021 BUSINESS24.COM.GH WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022NO. B24 / 304 | NEWS FOR BUSINESS LEADERS Published by Business24 Ltd. Nii Asoyii Street, Mempeasem East Legon-Accra, Ghana. Tel: 030 296 5297 | 030 296 5315 Editor: Benson +233editor@business24.com.ghAfful545516133 business24.com.gh
Top Somaliland
Civil Service officials visit GSA
The Harvard Graduate School of Design has welcomed Emmanuel Kofi Gavu as the Pollman Fellow in Real Estate and Urban Development for the 2022–2023 academic year. Gavu (Dr.-Ing.) is a senior lecturer at the Department of Land Economy, Kwame Economy from KNUST Ghana. Gavu is primarily interested in applications of GIS in urban management, real estate, and housing market analysis. He has published in the areas of hedonic modeling, housing market dynamics, and real estate education. Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana. He completed his PhD in Spatial Planning at the TU Dortmund University in Germany. He also holds an MS in GIS for Urban Planning from the University of Twente in the Netherlands and a BS in Land
Harvard Graduate School of Design welcomes Emmanuel Kofi Gavu to 2022–23 Pollman Fellow
Adelegation from the Civil Service Institute of Somaliland, last week paid a visit to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to understand and familiarise themselves with the operations of the Authority. This visit formed part of a training organised for them by the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).Aspart of the visit, the Somaliland delegation toured the various laboratories in the Food and Agriculture Department of the GSA.
