Ghanaian company wins Global Leaders award

Mrs. Johanna Odonkor Svanikier (left), Ghana’s Ambassador

to France presenting the award to Mr. Amoh.

The Global Trade Leaders Club, has adjudged Justmoh Construction Limited, a Takoradi-based Ghanaian company as winner of the Club’s prestigious International Award for Leader-ship in Image and Quality. It is in recognition of the company’s quality leadership in the construction sector in Ghana.

Justice Amoh, CEO and founder of the Justmoh Group, received the award at the club’s awards ceremony in Paris, France last Monday.

In picking up this award, Justmoh Construction joins a selected group of companies, whose managers have received recognition in their respective fields for their achievements and business acumen.

The Global Trade Leaders Club (GTLC) is an association of entrepreneurs made up of 7,000 members in 95 countries.

The International Award for Leadership in Image and Quality was created as a promotional programme offering support for business networking around the world.

Membership of the GTLC is limited to previously awarded companies.

Svani Groups Supports Soronko Foundation

By Edmund Mingle

Svani Group Limited has donated a Mahindra pick-up vehicle in support of Soronko Foundation’s efforts at empowering girls across the country. 

The gesture, which forms part of series of social interventions marking the silver jubilee anniversary celebration of Svani Group, a leading automobile and logistics services firm, would help to facilitate the operations of the foundation across the country.

The Foundation, which is a social development wing of the of the Soronko Solutions Group, a software development company, offers technology skills training for girls with the aim of grooming girls to become independent problem solvers and entrepreneurs.

Presenting the vehicle, Mr. Thomas Svanikier, Executive Chairman of Svani Group, lauded the objectives of the Foundation, indicating that the empowerment of women was critical to nation building.

Mr. Thomas Svanikier(second from left) presenting
the keys to the vehicle  to Regina Agyare

He said his outfit remains supportive of interventions that would offer quality education and empowerment for the younger generation, particularly girls, and therefore, assured the Foundation of more assistance and collaboration.

He believed that Svani and other companies in the industrial sector would be the end beneficiaries of the technology training being offered by the Foundation for girls, saying it was therefore relevant for the foundation to be supported to deliver on its mandate.

Regina Agyare, Founder of Soronko Solutions, receiving the keys to the vehicle, thanked the company for the gesture.

She said the donation will aid the investment for girls to develop skills for critical thinking and use technology to solve problems.

She indicated that the Foundation was currently pursing a movement, dubbed “Tech Needs Girls” in which girls are mentored to lead and innovate by learning to code.

“We currently have 30 volunteers, 15 mentors who are either computer scientists or engineers and 455 mentees,” she indicated, adding that “we are also working on how the disabled in Ghana can use technology to integrate better in their communities.”

Ibrahim Mahama Ends Odaw Dredging

By Edmund Mingle

Engineers and Planners (E&P), the construction firm owned by the President’s brother, Ibrahim Mahama, has concluded its desilting operations on the Odaw drain in Accra.

It has also handed over all the equipment it took from the government for the project which it undertook free of charge.

Mr. Mahama peeling off his company's
brand sticker from the tipper trucks

Although it desilted three kilometers, representing about 40 per cent of the choked drain, the company believed it was time to pull out.

“I am pulling out not because I want to, but I believe we have done most of the work and others can also continue,” Mr. Mahama, Chief Executive Officer of E&P, told Journalists at the site on Saturday.

Asked whether the pull-out was as a result of the criticism and politicization of his involvement in the project, he said although the criticisms and politicization which he described as “very unnecessary and discouraging” for such voluntary work, he said the company needed to concentrate on its core business.

The choked Odaw drain was found to have contributed largely to the flooding of parts of Accra particularly the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area where the flood led to the explosion at a filling station, killing 159 people on June 3.

Mr. Mahama handing over the keys to the heavy
 duty vehicles to Ibrahim Abdulai, Caretaker of the
 Government Machinery House at Tema

Following the incident, Mr. Mahama volunteered to desilt the drain for free, but as the desilting progressed, members of the opposition New Patriotic Party and the Minority in Parliament questioned the appropriateness of E&P’s involvement in the project, amidst suspicion of underhand dealings.

Among other things, the critics questioned why the President’s younger brother had been allowed to use state equipment to execute a private contract.

But Mr. Mahama maintained it did not undertake the project as a contract, but just an agreement with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, to undertake the desilting for free.

As part of the agreement, the Ministry provided fuel and the equipment including tipper trucks and excavators, while E&P provided and paid personnel and desilting experts.

On how much he spent on the project, Mr. Mahama, told journalists during his inspection of the desilted stretch, that it would have cost the government some 15million dollars if the project had been undertaken as a contract.

“I have no regrets doing this. I did this just to show that Ghanaians are capable.

Mr. Ibrahim Mahama explaining issues
 to Reporters at the Odaw drain site

“We planned to operate here for a month, but we spent nearly four months on the project, and I think we have done our best,” he stressed.

According to him, they have desilted the most difficult part of the drain, adding explaining that any contractor the job would be awarded to would have it easy.

“What remains is to put a dredger in the undesilted areas and pipe out the soil,” he stressed.

From the Odaw drain site, he moved to the Government Machinery Safe House at Tema where he returned assorted earth moving equipment, used for the project, to the government.

The equipment consist of 20 tipper trucks, four bulldozers, three excavators, three wheel-loaders and two motor graders.

On his next line of action, he said the company would be focusing on a number of major contracts in the mining sector, where it does its core business, adding he only deployed his personnel to help the government to desilt the Odaw, as the company was awaiting those new contracts.

He expressed concern about the politicization of the project, saying such practice would continue to destroy the self-help spirit of well meaning Ghanaians.

Mr. Mahama peeling off his company's brand sticker
from one of the excavators

“We can solve our problems if we reduce and politics and the suspicious and bring our resources together to address challenges that affect all of us,” he said.

“I didn’t volunteer to undertake the project for free because the President is my brother. I did it because I felt I needed to help my country,” he said.

He therefore urged his critics and others which similar resources to support nation building, saying the country would not progress “if we continue with this pettiness.”

Don Bosco University To Open Centre In Ghana

From Edmund Mingle, India

The Don Bosco University (DBU), headquartered in India, is planning to open a regional university centre in Ghana to contribute to the provision of quality higher education for the youth.

The move, which is part of the university's plan to expand its coverage to West Africa, is to enable more people in the region to access its education programmes towards improving the human resource base in the sub-region.

Dr. Mavely presenting an MBA degree certificate to Edmund Mingle

The centre, which would help to improve the facilitation of the university's distance learning programme, which more Ghanaians and Africans in general were currently accessing, is expected to culminate into the establishment of a Ghana Campus of Don Bosco University.

Fr. Dr. Stephen Mavely, Vice Chancellor of the University, announced this during an interaction with graduating foreign students, including this reporter, at the fourth convocation of the university in Guwahati, India on Thursday.

The centre, which would add to the growing network of Don Bosco institutions around the globe, would help to enhance interaction between course facilitators distance learning students in the sub-region.

According to Dr. Mavely, the necessary approval was being sought for the opening of the centre, while the accreditation requirements for the establishment of the campus were being assessed.

More than 300 Ghanaian students have enrolled for the university’s distance learning programme, as more Ghanaians and others in the sub-region express access Don Bosco’s higher education programmes.

He gave the assurance that the university’s programmes would continue to be improved and tailored to meet professional and job market needs, indicating that the university was committed in collaborating with other institutions in India such as DBU Global, the Global Center for distance education of Don Bosco University, and others across the world, to achieve that objective.

Addressing the convocation in which 532 students, including 190 distance education students, graduated in various bachelors and masters degree programmes, Dr. Mavely, congratulated the graduands and inspired them to aspire.

He was confident that the knowledge gained by the graduands would enable to take overcome entrepreneurial challenges and contribute meaningfully to the growth of their organisations, communities and countries.

Touching on the theme for the convocation- “You can win, you can ride the tide, don’t be afraid to fly”- the Vice Chancellor urged the graduands to be confident, innovative and hardworking to become achievers, saying “have the capacity to dream, dare to fly and have the inner pull to make a difference.”

The Governor of Assam State, Shri P.B. Acharya, for his part, congratulated the graduands, particularly foreign students, in their zeal for higher education.

He was particularly impressed about the presence of 21 graduating distance students at the convocation, saying provision of education should not have borders.

He gave the assurance the government of Assam would provide the necessary support needed by DBU to expand its programmes for the benefit of Indians and other nationals.

Present at the convocation were 21 students from 13 countries (Qatar, Malaysia, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Dubai, Kenya, Oman, Belgium, Mozambique, South Sudan and the Philippines) who successfully completed their degree programmes in Bachelor of Computer Applications, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Information Technology, and Master of Computer Applications.

Five doctoral students were also graduated at the ceremony.

Don Bosco University belongs to the Don Bosco society of a network of catholic organisations pursing the human development goals.

The educational system is founded on the dream of Saint John Bosco, popularly known as Don Bosco (1815-1888) a catholic priest who worked to rescue the poor and disadvantaged youth of his time.

His system of education, which is being pursued by the university, envision the creation of generations of young men and women who are intellectually competent, morally upright, socially committed, spiritually inspired and devoted to their country and the world.

 

The Assam State Governor (fifth left) and other senior faculty members in a group picture with the graduating foreign students at the convocation

Svani Group Aids Osu Presby Schools With Bus, Water Facility

By Edmund Mingle

Madam Doris Owusu (left)
receiving the keys and documents
to the bus from Mr. Thomas Svanikier

Svani Group Limited has rescued the Osu Presby Cluster of schools at Osu in Accra, from the difficulties of transportation and water supply, with the donation of a 36-seater bus and water facility to the cluster.

The donation of the Eicher bus worth 60,000dollars and the water facility comprising three mechanised boreholes and a reservoir, worth GHc75,000 was to alleviate the plight of the cluster in conveying the pupils for activities outside the campus, as well as addressing challenge of securing water supply for the cluster.

Prior to the provision of the water facility, the cluster, comprising eight schools, with a population of about 2,000, had to be sending the pupils to fetch water from outside the campus, resulting in the closure of the only toilet facility serving the cluster.

Although the toilet has been re-opened for use with the flow of water, relieving the pupils of the challenge in accessing a sanitation facility, Svani Group intends to redevelop it into an expanded modern water-closet facility.

In addition, the company is building a modern library and ---for the cluster.

The donation gesture forms part of activities marking the silver jubilee anniversary celebration of Svani Group,  a leading automobile and logistics services firm with subsidiaries in the oil and gas, energy and real estate sectors.    

Mr. Thomas Svanikier, Executive Chairman of Svani Group, presenting the donation on Monday indicated that the gesture was indicative of the company’s commitment to its social responsibility, as well as its contribution to the provision of quality education for children.

In addition, he said it was a form of giving back to the schools- especially the Osu Presby Boys (Salem) School where he had his primary education and Osu Presby Girls school where his mother attended.

He urged the teachers to give off their best in nurturing the children for the future, and assured the cluster of more assistance.

Madam Doris Owusu, Osu-Doku Circuit 30 Supervisor, receiving the donation, described it as a “surprise and a big relief” for the schools in the cluster.

She thanked the company for the support, and urged others to emulate the exemplary example.

Reverend Isaac Brown, headteacher of Osu Presby Boys school, and Mrs. Mercy Fiakpui, headteacher for Osu Presby Girls school, who would take managerial custody of the bus, thanked the company for the support, saying it would inspire the teachers and the pupils to do more.

Enoch Effah: Solving business problems with boxing skills

 By Edmund Mingle

He marshalled all the skills to become an undisputed and undefeated world heavyweight kickboxing champion.

But how he is now using those same skills to promote the growth of businesses, remains a talent reserved for only champions like Enoch Effah.

Born to Ghanaian parents in France, the French sports and business developer, Enoch Effah, is currently out of the ring but using his kickboxing skills to knock down problems confronting business leaders across the globe.

He believes that the survival skills in the ring can rightly be applied to business management to beat competition.

“Like in the ring, there is no room for error in business,” he says.

 

Born on May 1st 1983 at Melun, France, the French, European and World heavyweight champion, Enoch begun his career by accident when a friend took him to the boxing gym as a youngster.

The introduction to boxing changed his life, because prior to that he had given up on life- sports, studies and ambitions- following a family tragedy in which her mother died of cancer while he was 15 years.

However, through hard work and determination, Enoch’s glittering performance spurred him on to achieve laurels in France and Europe before becoming a world champion in 2005.

As of 2010 when he had his last international fight, Enoch held the French, European and world heavyweight belts, to crown a career of 49 fights, with 46 wins including 39 by Knock Outs. 

After a successful and challenging sports career, Enoch now runs the Nokefa Centre, through which support programmes have been developed for increasing number of businesses and organisation.

“At Nokefa, we teach entrepreneurs how to become a champion and stay a champion,” he indicated.

Like a boxer, he says enterprise leaders require strict organisational skills, vision, concentration, focus, motivation and determination, coupled with personal and professional discipline.

 

So far, Nokefa has developed management programmes for some of the top companies in France and Europe in general.

Backed by his Masters in Management and Coaching, business assistance degree and higher coaching certificate, Enoch has created a support system for professional and Citizen Coaching through which people are trained to set and achieve targets in life.

The personal and professional coaching at Nokefa has benefitted over 11,000 young entrepreneurs in Europe, while scores of business executives have signed onto the Centre’s programmes.

Married with two kids, Enoch has traced his roots back to Ghana and is currently setting a Nokefa branch in Accra to support business leaders to improve their management skills towards the growth of the companies.

He believes that Ghanaians entrepreneurs have what it takes to get to the world stage, and does not buy into the “being black and part of the minority” cliché, but believes that you can achieve your objectives if and with determination you harness all the resources available in any kind of situation.

Coming back to Ghana and Africa, he sees that challenges facing individuals and organizations, but remains convinced that the solutions are inside individuals.

“We need that mental revolution to explore our potential,” he says.

 Being very proud about his Ghanaian identity, Enoch foresees settling in Ghana with his family, to assist in unearthing potentials in the youth and support businesses to grow.

End

IEA Raises Issues With 40year Development Plan

THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS (IEA-GHANA)

PRESS STATEMENT ON LAUNCH OF PREPARATORY WORK FOR A FORTY-YEAR (2018-2057) NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR GHANA

Introduction

The IEA commends the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) for steps towards developing a 40-year (2018-2057) National Development Plan (NDP) for Ghana. While we consider this a worthy cause, we wish to draw attention to some fundamental issues that need to be addressed in order to derive meaningful gains from this process. 

·         The IEA has undertaken extensive research on the issue of national development planning and considers it a critical national issue. It was one of seven key recommendations contained in an IEA report titled: The Winner-Takes-All Practice of Governance in Ghana – Proposals for Reform, submitted to the President’s Advisor on Governance, Mr. Daniel Batidam, on 15^th January, 2015, for the attention of His Excellency President Mahama. The 29-page report states on page 14 as follows (on national development planning):

·         “… The Committee (IEA-WTA Committee) in principle, shares the view that there should be a long-term national perspective plan formulated through broad consensus with inputs from all across the political divide which must reflect the views of identifiable groups both at the local and national level. The plan should guide all governments irrespective of which political party is in power. The manifestoes of political parties should explain how their policies and programmes would help achieve targets in the plan. Among other things, through the appointment process and conditions of service, personnel of the NDPC should be totally insulated from politics and political control. This provision must be entrenched in the Constitution. These interventions will ensure that all political parties voted to power are guided by the plan and are assessed by the extent to which they have implemented the national development agenda.”

Key Issues

·         Our years of research point to the fact that development plans have not yielded the required benefits to us as a nation because successive governments have all too often abandoned plans by previous governments.

·         In other cases, governments have simply changed policy focus and relegated national plans to the background. It has become the norm for governments to focus on implementing their party manifestoes instead of the national development plan.

·         These are the issues that have stifled meaningful gains from previous initiatives such as the Development Plan for National Reconstruction and Development (1963), Vision 2020 (1997), Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS I&II), among others.  

Proposals

It is against this background that The IEA has made the following key proposals in its publications and at numerous advocacy workshops:

·         That the NDPC should be made an independent and autonomous body charged with the responsibility of formulating and overseeing the implementation of a long term national development plans for Ghana. The current partisan mode of appointment of the head of the NDPC undermines the Commission’s independence.

·         That the National Development Plan should be entrenched in Ghana’s Constitution in order to make it truly binding on successive governments. Successive governments have consistently flouted legislations that are not entrenched. It is logical to expect that a national development plan that is not anchored in the constitution will be abandoned with a change in government. An entrenched plan would bind successive regimes and halt the tragedy of policy discontinuity that continues to undermine our development.

·    Ensure that the process of preparing the national development plan is open, transparent and inclusive of all stakeholders in order to ensure public buy-in and ownership of the final policy blueprint.

Conclusion

The on-going constitution review process provides the country with an opportunity to make critical amendments which lie at the heart of Ghana’s development challenges. We urge the government to take advantage of this golden opportunity to amend the clauses of the Constitution in order to give autonomy to the NDPC and also, entrench the National Development Plan to make it truly binding on all successive governments.

Signed

Mrs. Jean Mensa

Executive Director, IEA

Dated: 6^th August, 2015

Contact:

Dr. Ransford Gyampo

Research Fellow (IEA) Tel: 0244277275