Photo: Rawlings signs Mills' book of condolence

Former President and founder of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Jerry John Rawlings, has signed the book of condolence opened in memory of the late President J.E.A. Mills at the State House, Accra.

A sober looking Jerry Rawlings was teary as he signed the book of condolence for the man who was his vice-president from 1996 to 2000.

Yayi Boni, African mission delegation console Naadu Mills

African Union Chairman and President of Benin, Thomas Yayi Boni is part of a delegation of the African diplomatic corps to console ex-first lady Ernestina Naadu Mills at her residence in Accra.

The delegation led by the Dean, Senipad Seinu assured the widow the entire African continent is with her in her moment of grief.

Joy News International Correspondent Jefferson Sackey was with delegation and reports the group paid glowing tribute to the late president John Mills.

Yaya Boni who together with the late president were invited by President Barack Obama to attend the G8 Summit was deeply saddened by the death of Prof John Mills.

Sackey reported the AU Chair as saying the late president was a brother, a colleague and an advisor.

Meanwhile, a delegation from Ghana’s Parliament is also standing by at the residence to empathise with Mrs Naadu Mills.

Adom FM’s Listowell Fodjour who is with them said the Parliamentarians are clad in red and in a somber mood going through formalities to see the ex-first lady.

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Ghana Gets New President

Ghana Gets New President

Created on Wednesday, 25 July 2012 08:05

Following the sudden transition of Ghana’s President, H.E. John Evans Atta Mills this afternoon in Accra, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama has been sworn into office in Ghana’s Parliament in accordance with Article 60 (6) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

He was swore into office by the Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood and takes over the remaining term of office of the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills.

President Mahama until today was Vice President for the late President Mills.

Parliament was recalled by Speaker of Parliament Joyce Bamford-Addo for an emergency sitting after an earlier meeting in the day, where a letter was read by the speaker informing MP’s of the President’s decision to travel to Nigeria on Tuesday night on an official visit.

Both sides of the political divide wore black and red, to signify their grief.

Mr Mahama started his primary education at the Achimota Primary School and went on to secondary school at the Ghana Secondary School in Tamale in the Northern Region. He proceeded thereafter to the University of Ghana, Legon, where he obtained a BA Degree in History in 1981.

In 1986, he obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon. He also undertook further Postgraduate Studies in Social Psychology at the Institute of Social Sciences in Moscow Russia in 1988.

Mr Mahama was employed as an Information Officer at the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Ghana from 1991 to 1995. He moved on to join the non-governmental organisation, Plan International, as Sponsorship and Grants Manager in the Ghana Country Office from 1995 to 1996.

He was elected to his first term as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bole-Bamboi Constituency in the Northern Region on the ticket of the NDC in December 1996. Mr. Mahama served as Deputy Minister of Communications from April 1997 to November 1998 and then served as the substantive Minister of Communications from November 1998 to January 2001.

Mr Mahama was re-elected MP for Bole-Bamboi Constituency in December 2000 and in December 2004. He served as Director of Communication for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as well as Spokesman on Communications for the Minority in Parliament between 2001 and 2004.

From 2005 to 2008, Mr Mahama has been Minority Parliamentary Spokesman for Foreign Affairs. He has been a Member of the Pan-African Parliament based in Pretoria, South Africa in 2004 where he served as the Chairman of the West Africa Caucus.

Facebook Flickr Google+ Twitter YouTube Kufuor mourns the death of President Mills

Facebook Flickr Google+ Twitter YouTube

Kufuor mourns the death of President Mills

“I am deeply shocked and saddened at the passing away of President John Evans Atta Mills, Third President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana,” former President John Agyekum Kufour has said.

A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday by former President Kufour said it was a great loss to Ghana and the whole nation.

Former President Kufour said: “My heart goes out to his wife, Naadu, his immediate family, and the rest of the nation.”

He urged all Ghanaians to hold themselves together as one people in this time of grief and let the common love for the country and humanity guide them.

“On behalf of my wife, and the entire family, I pray that God grant former President Mills him a peaceful resting place,” he added.**

– Duncan Williams

Search Ghana Oil Watch

l – Duncan Williams

he Archbishop of the Action Chapel International, Duncan Williams, has prayed for Ghana and also admonished all Ghanaians to calm down following the death of President John Evans Atta Mills.

Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Tuesday, the Archbishop expressed his deepest condolence to the immediate family of Prof Mills and all the people of

He encouraged all Ghanaians to reflect over the President’s demise and take a cue from his exemplary life on earth.

“One of my inspirational quotes is ‘it is not about how you die, but how you lived.’ I think we emphasise too much about death but the family and all of us as citizen of the country should reflect more on how he lived so that all of us could be strengthened to lift up our eyes to the future,” Archbishop Williams said.

The Archbishop also took time to commit Ghana and the people of Ghana into the Hands of God in prayer.

Obama pays tribute to President Atta Mills

Obama pays tribute to President Atta Mills

It was with great regret that I learned of the passing of President John Evans Atta Mills of Ghana.

I will always remember my trip to Ghana in 2009, and the hospitality that President Mills and the people of Ghana showed to me, Michelle, Malia, Sasha and our entire delegation. I was also pleased to host President Mills in the Oval Office earlier this year.

President Mills tirelessly worked to improve the lives of the Ghanaian people. He helped promote economic growth in Ghana in the midst of challenging global circumstances and strengthened Ghana’s strong tradition of democracy.

Under his leadership, the United States and Ghana deepened our partnership in the promotion of good governance and economic development. He was also a strong advocate for human rights and for the fair treatment of all Ghanaians.

On behalf of the American people, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the people of Ghana, and reaffirm the deep and enduring bonds between our democracies that President Mills helped to strengthen.

Akufo-Addo mourns the death of President Mills

Akufo-Addo mourns the death of President Mills

Created on Wednesday, 25 July 2012 07:46

Whilst on a campaign tour of the Evalue Gwira constituency in the Western Region this afternoon, I heard the sad news of the death of the President of the Republic, H E Prof John Evans Atta Mills.

I have decided to suspend immediately the rest of my campaign tour until further notice.

I express my condolences to the First Lady, Madam Naadu Mills and the rest of the family.

I extend my condolences to the government and people of Ghana on the death of the President, and also to the National Democratic Congress party on the loss of their leader.

I call on all Ghanaians to stand united in this moment of national loss and grief.

I pray to the Almighty that he gives his soul a peaceful place of abode.

May he rest in peace.

David Cameron mourns Mills Created on Wednesday, 25 July 2012 07:54 Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I was deeply saddened to hear about the ,,,

David Cameron mourns Mills

Prime Minister David Cameron said:

"I was deeply saddened to hear about the death of President Mills earlier today. President Mills was a tireless defender of democracy in West Africa and across the continent, and he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family, and all the Ghanaian people on this difficult day."

Rawlingses: We regret news of Mills’ death

Rawlingses: We regret news of Mills’ death

Created on Wednesday, 25 July 2012 07:49

The former first couple of Ghana, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings and Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, have expressed regret at news of the passing of President John Evans Atta Mills.

President Mills died at the 37 Military Hospital on Tuesday at 14.15 GMT – three days after celebrating his 68th birthday.

The Office of the Chief of Staff informed President and Mrs. Rawlings of President Mills’ death.

The former first couple wishes to express their condolences to the family, a statement from the Office of ex-President Rawlings said.

The Rawlingses are currently in Brazzaville, Congo participating in activities marking the formal launch of Forbes Africa, at the invitation of President Denis Sassou N’Guesso.

According to the statement, President Rawlings will make a formal statement when he returns to Accra.

President Mills’ deputy, Vice-President John Dramani Mahama, has been sworn in as President and has declared seven days of national mourning where all flags are supposed to fly at half mast.

In his acceptance speech, President Mahama described former President Mills as “a father, a friend and a senior colleague.”

Watch President Dramani Mahama get sworn in as Ghana's President

French investors look to Ghana

French investors are preparing to swarm the country in an investment tour that is projected to create more than 15,000 jobs. Suleiman Mustapha reports

France plans to step up its economic ties with Ghana by encouraging its private sector to double its investments in the country from the current annual figure of US$400 million to about US$700 million by 2013.

Consequently, the Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF) or Movement of the Enterprises of France, the largest union of employers in France, will converge on Ghana next year for a summit to identify investment opportunities in the country.

French Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Frederic Clavier, told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS in an exclusive interview that French investors were moved by the level of investment opportunities in the country.

MEDEF, which is the highest business lobbying organisation in France, is similar to the CBI of the United Kingdom or Federation of Small Businesses in the United States.

“French cooperation with Ghana is deepening at various levels of business and French assistance is expanding in various development projects concerning the economy such as the sovereign concessional loan from our development agency, AFD, granted to the Volta River Authority”, the ambassador said.

According to Mr Clavier, Ghana was on top of the list of countries that the French private sector wanted to do more business with, saying, "we want to be a major player in this country".

"We see the stability and growing economy of Ghana and we have decided to do better in terms of investment in this country," he said, adding that, “Ghana is by far a model business destination in the West African sub-region”.

The Movement of French Enterprises, which is made up of more than 800,000 enterprises is expected to see a massive injection of investment flows from France by next year.

According to the diplomat, the visit of the French Prime Minister last year indicated “France’s willingness to participate in Ghana’s economic development,” adding that his country was re-orienting its policies toward Africa to further engage non-French-speaking nations.

There are at the moment 60 French business establishments in Ghana and France is the 11th on the roll of international investors in Ghana, but fourth on the list of Ghana's overseas clients.

“Ghana stands on first place for its comparative advantages. The perspectives are excellent, with a steady economic growth. The numerous projects, in particular in the field of infrastructure, favour the attractiveness of the country”.

Top executives of the French business community who will be visiting the country next year will cut across various fields of investments including; energy, electricity, agriculture, information and communication technology, packaging, insurance, shipping, telecommunications, banking, water, transport, engineering and public works.

"We intend to capitalise on that and participate even deeper in your economy to ensure that our score on your investment sheet will rise from 11th to a better place soon," he said.

“This is expected to contribute directly or indirectly to the employment of 20,000 persons, in particular in agricultural and food-processing industries”, Mr Clavier said.

In 2009, trade between France and Ghana reached €535 million, after recording growth in excess of 20 per cent per year since 2005.

In addition to the debt cancellation measures for the country implemented under the framework of the Club of Paris, France granted Ghana additional treatment which has taken the form of a debt reduction and development contract (C2D).

The first C2D (2005-2007), with €21 million was implemented in the form of a global budgetary assistance through Multi Donor Budget Support (MDBS).

The second C2D in favour of Ghana was established for the 2008-2013 period, for a total of €42 million.

For the 2008-2010 periods, it has taken the form of global budget assistance in the amount of €21 million, marking the continuity of France’s presence within the MDBS. A second phase with an equivalent sum and according to the same terms will be implemented for 2011-2013.

In 2011, France under its development wing, AFD signed three financing agreements total of some 50 million euros with the Ghana Government involving urban development projects.

In 2003, a major French bank Société Générale took over SSB Bank and in the agricultural sector Compagnie Fruitière started fruit farming (ananas).

These investments represented almost half of the total foreign direct investments recorded in Ghana in 2003.

In 2005, Total took over Mobil Ghana and is now the market leader in the distribution of refined petroleum products. The same year, the regional office of L'Air Liquide (industrial and medical gas producer) was transferred to Accra.

The other major companies are dealing in petroleum products (Total), hotel activities (Accor – Novotel), shipping (Bolloré, SDV, Antrak), goods inspection (Bureau Veritas), water and electricity infrastructure (Burgeap, Norelec), wholesale/retail (CFAO), agriculture (GREL) and industry (Franpac, l"Air Liquide, Nexans Kabelmetall).

Proparco, the subsidiary of AFD which is dedicated to supporting the private sector, has set up a strong partnership with the banking sector by providing medium-term line of credit to finance the investment projects of small and medium sized enterprises.

Five commercial and leasing companies have so far benefited from PROPACO’s lines of credit up to US$27 million.

source: daily graphic

New BBC Radio Show…Designed For Africans

A NEW breakfast show, ‘BBC Newsday’, specially designed to highlight African-related issues is set to begin barring any unforeseen glitches in the United Kingdom (UK) soon.

The show, which would be anchored by top South African broadcaster, Lerato Mbele, seeks among other things, to make African-related stories take centre stage, would be officially launched on July 23.

According to the new eloquent hostess, her employers settled on July, so it will coincide with the forthcoming Olympic Games scheduled for July 27 to August 12 in London.

The show is expected to become one of the biggest radio shows in the world taking into account, figures released a few weeks ago indicating that, BBC has a combined weekly audience on all platforms in Africa of 81.4million.

The pretty ace presenter, Lerato, revealed in an exclusive interview with DAILY GUIDE a few days ago that: “We basically creating and developing a platform to ensure that Africans have a voice on the continent.”

“We want to build on our listenership, communicate with Africans in a different way. We would be looking at and discussing issues that everybody talks about, especially, issues that appeal to Africans.

“Africans are ready to share their stories, and as a global news leader, BBC has purposed to give Africans a great voice, I am excited to be joining the BBC considering its international presence and the journalistic experience.

“Africa has now evolved into a vibrant market and BBC wants to give it a fresh spin. Newsday wants to give Africans prominence, and it is only BBC that is doing that,” she added.

‘Newsday’, described as bringing the world to Africa, and bringing Africa to the world, would be aired live at breakfast time from 6 to 8 GMT.

The show promises to give its wide listeners a great start to the day with the latest news in business, sports and entertainment.

Published from the desk

Ghana Mobile Broadband Connections by 2020

The GSMA has projected that the spectrum that would be freed from the migration from analogue to digital television systems by 2015 would triple mobile broadband capacity and lead to 11 million broadband connections in Ghana by 2020.

The world is moving towards phasing out analogue TV sets for digital TV by June 2015, but Ghana is working towards completing the process even a year earlier in 2014.

The completion of the migration from analogue to digital would mean a lot of the spectrum used by TV broadcasters would become free because the digital system enables the use of a small space of spectrum for more channels and better quality pictures.

Director of Spectrum Policy for the GSMA, Africa and Middle East Region, Peter Lyons told journalists if the spectrum is freed, ‘it will yield what we call digital dividend for mobile broadband operators, TV broadcasters, the people of Ghana and for the state as whole.”

This was after a day’s workshop in Accra on how to speed up expansion of quality broadband service in Ghana.

The workshop, jointly organized by the GSMA and the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, discussed telecom industry related taxations, quality of service, IP Exchange and how Ghanaians could maximize the benefits from the spectrum that would be made available for broadband expansion after the migration from analogue to digital TV by 2015.

Mr. Lyon explained that under the digital system the TV stations would be able to broadcast 22 Standard Definition channels or four High Definition (HD) channels on the same 8Mhz frequency on which they currently broadcast only one poor quality channel.

Mr. Lyons said broadband capacity would also triple and lead to at least 11 million mobile broadband connections by 2020, and that would also make it possible for Ghanaians to access quality broadband service with very affordable mobile devices.

“People will be able to use their phones and other affordable mobile devices to connect to the internet and update their facebook account and also watch live video streaming on Youtube and do much more than they are able to do now,” he said.

He said the increased broadband capacity would also create 930,000 jobs and power e-governance, e-health, m-health, LTE (long-term evolution) and particularly education, which is expected to be the killer app from the digital dividend.

“Increased broadband and additional jobs will at current tax levels also lead to an additional GHC200million per year in additional taxes for government and there would be increase in GDP by GHS1.5 billion per annum by 2020,” he added.

Mr. Lyon said it was important for the spectrum to be harmonized with those of other countries so that affordable mobile devices could be used across countries for the same quality of digital and broadband experience.

He urged the National Communication Authority (NCA) to expedite action on the migration saying that “without the release of spectrum in 2015 Ghana would only have 7 million mobile broadband connections by 2020.”

Director of Regulatory Administration at the NCA, Joshua Peprah said efforts are far advanced for Ghana to complete the analogue to digital migration by 2014, a year earlier than the global deadline, adding that there were plans to bring along people who would not be able to afford digital TV sets immediately.

He explained that migration does not mean an instant phasing out of all analogue TV sets, because there is a provision for people to acquire decoders like the MultiTV Digibox to convert digital signals to analogue for them to also watch quality pictures on their TV set.

He said there are plans to bring in affordable decoders when the time comes so majority of Ghanaians could have access to them and also enjoy multiple free to air and paid channels on their analogue TV sets.

Mr. Peprah said government’s policy direction would also favor local manufacture of decoders and that would create more jobs for Ghanaians as well.

In terms of the ensuring Ghana’s spectrum is harmonized with those of other countries for maximum benefit across countries, Mr. Peprah said the NCA is collaborating with their colleagues at the African Telecoms Union (ATU) and at the International Telecoms Union (ITU) in that regard.

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Michael Dell Visits Africa

Michael Dell, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dell Incorporated, has made a surprise visit to Nigeria.

The historic visit was in fulfillment of a promise made by Michael in September 2010 when Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) visited the Dell Executive Briefing Centre (EBC) in Texas with some customers from Nigeria, including Ecobank International.

The appointment of Nnamdi Orakwue as Executive Director for Strategy and Operations by Dell also contributed to actualizing the trip.

“To the teeming Dell community in Nigeria, there can be no stronger demonstration of commitment to the market than the fulfillment of this promise.

“Coming nine years after the visit in 2003 by Narayana Murthy, founder and former CEO of Infosys Technologies, one could argue that it is well overdue,” CWG said in a statement.

Austin Okere, founder and CEO of the CWG, the largest systems integration company in West Africa, was among other chief executives and managing directors who welcomed Michael to the local Dell office at Mulliner Towers, Ikoyi.

Michael gave a presentation about the current strategic focus of Dell, and the acquisitions that have been made to support the strategy, including Equalogic, Compellent, Wyse and Perot Systems, which are the technology platforms upon which Dell intends to launch into the enterprise and cloud spaces.

Mr Okere explained that CWG had taken advantage of the opportunities of these platforms to provide virtualization solutions to major customers in finance and oil & gas sectors such as First Bank of Nigeria, UBA, TotalElf and Ecobank International for their global operations covering over 30 countries.

A major move of the Dell Partners’ strategy has been the ‘Try & Buy’ concept which has worked very well. Dell intends to reciprocate the commitment of the partner community by shouldering some of the burden of the ‘Proof of Concepts’ through direct input or discount structure to maximize the reach and impact.

Other initiatives considered include a local Dell Lab to showcase its range of solutions in a ‘touch and feel’ manner to offer customers the opportunity of experiencing the solutions in a live environment.

Dell will also provide engineer certification facilities in-country so that partners do not have to incur huge travel expenses and visa inconveniences to go overseas for certification.

Stewart Van Graan, General Manager, Dell (Southern, Central and East Africa), expressed the hope that the visit will mark the beginning of the recognition of West and East Africa as a focal point for Dell’s initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa and attract other global IT companies to tap the full potential that the region offers.

From the business desk

UK government doles out £36 million to support LEAP

UK government is pledging £36 million for the implementation of the improved Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP).

The Ghana government only last week re-launched the programme with a promise by the Vice President John Mahama that the amount given under the social protection will be tripled.

The cash grant programme is set to support over 700,000 poor people by 2016.

The British government has pledged its commitment to assist with the implementation of the project.

A statement from the High Commission said the UK government through the Department for International Development (DFID) is committing £36 million for the implementation of the project.

“UK aid from the Department for International Development (DFID) has committed to provide £36 million to support LEAP between 2012 and 2016. The Government of Ghana will fully finance the programme from 2017,” the statement said.

In the statement, Sally Taylor, Country Director of DFID Ghana said that “this cash transfer programme is one of the most powerful and direct ways of helping Ghana’s poorest people. We will work closely in partnership with the Government of Ghana to deliver support that will improve thousands of people’s lives.”

The full statement is as follows;

Last week, Vice President John Mahama re-launched the Livelihoods Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), Ghana’s flagship social protection programme, which will give cash grants to support over 700,000 poor people by 2016.

The Government of Ghana will triple the size of the grant given to beneficiaries to 36 GHC per household. UK aid will help fund these payments. The grants will be carefully targeted at the poorest households which include the elderly, severely disabled, orphans and vulnerable children. The programme should reduce poverty, improve health and nutrition, and help households develop their livelihoods.

As well as tripling the size of the grant, a common targeting mechanism has been developed to help ensure support reaches the people who need it most. It is expected that in the future the programme will use new technology like smart cards and mobile phones to distribute the grants, ensuring they reach the people who need them most quickly and effectively.

UK aid from the Department for International Development (DFID) has committed to provide £36 million to support LEAP between 2012 and 2016. The Government of Ghana will fully finance the programme from 2017.

Sally Taylor, Country Director of DFID Ghana said that “this cash transfer programme is one of the most powerful and direct ways of helping Ghana’s poorest people. We will work closely in partnership with the Government of Ghana to deliver support that will improve thousands of people’s lives.”

This support is part of DFID’s broader programme in Ghana which is rising from £80 million in 2011 to £100 million in 2015. DFID Ghana’s overall programme has a strong focus on reducing poverty in the North of Ghana, helping women and girls, and improving the quality of education and health.

For further information please contact:

Henry Donati | Aid Effectiveness and Strategy Manager | DFID Ghana | |Mobile +233 (0) 225 3243 / 211 290 | Email: h-donati@dfid.gov.uk |

Ghana gets two new German naval vessels

The Ghana Navy has taken delivery of two newly refitted naval vessels at a ceremony held at Neue Tadewerft, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.

They are “GNS Yaa Asantewaa” and “GNS Naa Gbewaa” and have since set sail for Ghana and expected to arrive in a few weeks time.

A statement issued in Accra on Friday by Lieutenant-Colonel E. Aggrey-Quashie, of Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Public Relations Directorate said

“This brings to seven the number of vessels acquired for the Ghana Navy in the last three years”.

It said Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd.), Minister of Defence, assisted by Rear Admiral M. Quarshie, Chief of Naval Staff, received the Warrior Class vessels on behalf of Ghana.

At the ceremony Lt. Gen. Smith commended the Ghana Navy compliments of the ships made up of 14 officers and 56 ratings for their hard work during their stay in Germany.

The naval personnel were in Germany for familiarisation training on the vessels.

The Minister of Defence congratulated the manufacturers for a good work done and asked the Ghana Navy to take good care of the ships.

Source: GNA

Ghana to participate at Africa's biggest business trade exhibition in Johannesburg

Africa takes the centre stage for world trade next month when AB7 and SAITEX - the continent’s biggest Business Opportunities trade exhibitions - take place from 15 to 17 July 2012 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

Africa’s Big Seven (AB7) is the continent’s biggest food and beverage trade exhibition, comprising seven sector-specific shows combined in one big event. Almost double the size of AB7 is its co-located sister expo, the Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX) -a vast, multifaceted general retail and light industrial trade exhibition.

Countless opportunities under one roof

“More than 800 exhibitors from over 40 countries, including a number of companies from Ghana, will be taking part in AB7 and SAITEX,” says John Thomson, organiser of the huge super-shows. “This year we are expecting about 15 000 visitors from over 45 countries; so the combination of hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of visitors adds up to unlimited trade and business opportunities with businesspeople and companies from around the world – all under one roof!”

“SAITEX attracts more international support than any other event in Africa, with over 80% of exhibitors from foreign companies,” continues Thomson. “African business owners don’t need to travel all over the world to find opportunities –they can do it all at AB7 and SAITEX in Johannesburg.”

Ghana had the fastest growing economy in Africa last year and is one of many African nations participating in the event. Other African countries with companies exhibiting at AB7 and SAITEX include Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia.

SAITEX – A Wealth of Retail and Light Industrial Products

SAITEX focuses on a massive range of general retail and light industrial products, including fast moving consumer goods, electronic systems and appliances, textiles, clothing, leather products and footwear, office equipment, furniture, stationery, and hundreds of other product categories.

Light industrial equipment and systems on display will include machinery for manufacturing and packaging a vast range of retail ready products.

Two new sub-components have been added to SAITEX this year –Housewares & Homewares, and Home Appliances – join the established and popular Tools, Hardware and Building Supplies (THABS) show.

Housewares & Homewares includes crockery, cutlery and servingware, bedding, linen, towels, tableware and accessories, curtains and window fittings, kitchenware and cookware, appliances, home entertainment systems and accessories, indoor, outdoor and workspace furniture, carpets, and rugs, and many more home products.

Keta Habour Is real

To the people of the southern sector of the Volta region, the construction of a harbour at Keta is synonymous with the proverbial golden birds in the bush that they would never lay their hands on.

So anytime they hear about that project, they just brush it off as one those things that would not happen.

However, last Thursday, two senior officers of DY Engineering, the Korean company working on the project, travelled to Anloga, the Anlo traditional capital in the Keta Municipality to brief the traditional ruler, the Awoamefia, Togbi Sri III on the progress of the project and to assure him of their determination to construct the complex.

The Awoamefia of Anlo expressed his profound gratitude to the partners for the proposed Harbour complex, consisting of the main harbour, dry dock, fishing and oil berth for transporting equipment for the huge crude oilfields in the Keta Basin costing $310 million.

He added that the chiefs were ready to help in realizing the dream that had been on the drawing board for many years.


Togbi pointed out that most of the chiefs and the queen mothers are professionals, stressing that they would put committees in place to support the investors and the companies who would execute the project.



Introducing the delegation, which included two officers-Shan Seonghan Kim, Senior Overseas, Project Director of the company and Se-Wook Yao, Senior Managing Director of the same company, Dumega Okudzeto, who is also an international businessman, disclosed that the Korean company had completed the feasibility study on the project and had forwarded it to the sector ministry.

He however pointed out that the Ghanaian Government has plans of building fishing landing sites on the coastal regions of the country so they appealed to government to allow them to work side by side to incorporate the Keta landing site into the main harbour complex.

He stated that Samsung Company, which he served for many years as their regional president in Nigeria and Nessograph Investment from South Africa, would also assist in the execution of the harbour project.

He pointed out that the South African investment company was ready to offer $1billion as capital for the construction of the Keta harbour complex, which would include drydock, oil reserve base to cater for the equipment that would be used for the offshore Keta Basin crude oil.

“The new harbour is definitely going to help ease the pressure on Tema and Takoradi ports. Again, goods going to the north and the Sahel region would use the Eastern corridor route, which is very short,” Dumega Okudzeto stated.

He stressed that the vast mineral deposits in the Volta region would be exploited readily and exported through the Keta harbour.

On his part, the leader of the two-member delegation, Shan Seonghan Kim, said the feasibility study had already been completed, stressing that they would add the fishing landing site component to it within three months. He said work would start immediately after parliamentary approval.

Kim added that the Keta harbour complex would be constructed on Public/Private/Partnership (PPP) basis and would take five years to complete.

By Amos Amaglo

Ghana, Oil Partners To Invest $20 Billion In Oil Fields

Ghana and its partners on the Jubilee oil field, which include Tullow Oil Plc (TLW) and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC), will invest an estimated $20 billion over the next 10 years to develop newly discovered oil fields.

“We will raise the money in collaboration with our partners,” said Nana Boakye Asafu-Adjaye, chief executive officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corp., in a July 3 interview in the capital, Accra. “We have made clusters of discoveries and these need to be developed.”

Jubilee, which began production in 2010, is operated by London-based Tullow, which also owns 35.5 percent of the field. Anadarko and Kosmos Energy (KOS), both based in the U.S., each hold 24.1 percent and GNPC 13.6 percent. Sabre Oil & Gas Ltd. holds 2.7 percent.

By May 31 Jubilee had produced 35 million barrels, Asafu- Adjaye said. Output from the Jubilee oil field is now at 63,000 barrels per day, with production expected to reach an average of 90,000 barrels this year, according to Tullow. New discoveries in the Deep Water Tano Block include Tweneboa and Enyenra as well as other clusters of discoveries such as Mahogany, Teak, Akasa and Banda, Asafu-Adjaye said.

Following Jubilee’s start up oil became Ghana’s third- biggest export after gold and cocoa last year.

Shares of Tullow, which has the most exploration licenses of any oil company operating in Africa, fell 1.7 percent, to 1,476 pence at the close in London, giving the company a market value of 13.4 billion

Hess Corporation budget $800 million for drilling exploration wells in Ghana and others for 2012

Ghana, Oil Partners To Invest $20 Billion In Oil Fields



Ghana and its partners on the Jubilee oil field, which include Tullow Oil Plc (TLW) and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC), will invest an estimated $20 billion over the next 10 years to develop newly discovered oil fields.

“We will raise the money in collaboration with our partners,” said Nana Boakye Asafu-Adjaye, chief executive officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corp., in a July 3 interview in the capital, Accra. “We have made clusters of discoveries and these need to be developed.”

Jubilee, which began production in 2010, is operated by London-based Tullow, which also owns 35.5 percent of the field. Anadarko and Kosmos Energy (KOS), both based in the U.S., each hold 24.1 percent and GNPC 13.6 percent. Sabre Oil & Gas Ltd. holds 2.7 percent.

By May 31 Jubilee had produced 35 million barrels, Asafu- Adjaye said. Output from the Jubilee oil field is now at 63,000 barrels per day, with production expected to reach an average of 90,000 barrels this year, according to Tullow. New discoveries in the Deep Water Tano Block include Tweneboa and Enyenra as well as other clusters of discoveries such as Mahogany, Teak, Akasa and Banda, Asafu-Adjaye said.

Following Jubilee’s start up oil became Ghana’s third- biggest export after gold and cocoa last year.

Shares of Tullow, which has the most exploration licenses of any oil company operating in Africa, fell 1.7 percent, to 1,476 pence at the close in London, giving the company a market value of 13.4 billion pounds ($20.8 billion).