AmCham Ghana Supports Fashion Connect Africa For The One Million Facemasks For Rural Communities Project

The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility and contribution towards the fight against the COVID-19 in Ghana, is supporting Fashion Connect Africa for their One Million Facemasks for Rural Communities project aimed at providing facemasks to the residence in rural communities to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

The project will involve the production and distribution of quality face masks to rural communities.

Through this project, more people will be engaged to help produce and distribute the facemasks. This will ensure that they have a source of income for a period of time and are empowered to provide for their ends meet.

Speaking at the official launch of the project in Accra, the chamber’s president, Ayesha Bedwei, reiterated the importance of adhering to the safety protocols and the vital role of the project to further enhance safety and protection against the virus in the rural areas.

”Every year as AmCham, we support a corporate social responsibility initiative and I was pleased to select Fashion Connect Africa’s one million mask project, mainly because it is very relevant particularly due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is important that we keep sanitizing our hands and also wearing masks.”

” The one million masks project will focus on providing the much-needed masks to people in the rural areas and that is something that we can definitely stand behind as the American Chamber of Commerce,” She added.

AmCham Ghana provided Fashion Connect Africa with the seed fund for the production of the first 5000 facemasks.

”To ensure that rural dwellers keep themselves safe during this period, we are embarking on the One Million Face Masks For Rural Communities Project which will involve the production and distribution of quality and treated face masks to the rural poor across the most neglected districts in Ghana.” Victoria Michaels of Fashion Connect Africa remarked during the launch.

Also present at the event was the Deputy Minister for Education in charge of Technical & Vocational Education Training, Gifty Twum Ampofo, Ambassador of European Union of Ghana, Her Excellency Ms. Diana Acconcia, and some traditional rulers.

Webster University – A Leader in Online Education

A thriving 105-year-old liberal arts college based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, Webster University’s mission is to ensure a high quality learning experience that transforms students for global citizenship and individual excellence. Ever since the doors of Webster Ghana were opened in 2013, students from across the world – undergraduate and graduate – have enrolled at the university’s only Africa campus each year to benefit from the cultural diversity and enriching academic environment. Though Webster is not an online university, it has been highlighted for being able to brave the challenges the COVID pandemic has presented to educational institutions.

While some universities continue to struggle to figure out uninterrupted higher education during these peculiar times, Webster University Ghana has not skipped a beat. Smoothly transitioning to virtual teaching and learning in April 2020 at the start of the health pandemic and continuing on through summer classes, Webster Ghana is looking to re-open this Fall (in October), pending government mandate, with a blended/hybrid style of instruction, making use of online technologies to support students and faculty. Webster has long been lauded a leader in online education since the 1990s and stakeholders at the Ghana campus also have the advantage of proprietary virtual platforms like WorldClassroom and a robust library, including close to 70,000 ebooks.

Webster Ghana is dual-accredited by the National Accreditation Board (NAB) of Ghana and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in the United States (US), and all students receive a degree issued from the US. The 14-month Master’s programs – an MBA, M.A. in International Relations and M.A. in Human Resources – have further US accreditations. Regardless of specific degree area, Webster students follow the same curriculum worldwide. The lovely Ghana campus – which has dormitory accommodation – is centrally located in Accra’s coveted neighborhood of East Legon. The Fall semester has seen students start classes online with hopes of transitioning back to the classroom by the October term.

“Webster University has been a recognized, global leader in online education since the late 90’s. Given the university’s expertise in online learning, students have a wonderful opportunity to continue their studies virtually, receiving the same quality education they would have experienced in person, thanks to the myriad of online tools, training sessions and platforms available to all Webster students throughout the worldwide network,” says Webster Ghana’s Campus Director, Mrs. Christa Sanders-Bobtoya.

Webster University provides the unique opportunity for students to study abroad during their course of study after their first year. They may elect to do so for a nine-week term, semester or an entire academic year at any of Webster University’s international network of campuses including Switzerland, Austria, the Netherland, US, Thailand, China, Greece, the UK and Uzbekistan. As professors have this same opportunity, students in Ghana learn under top notch global faculty.

On more digital education wins, through the Webster Success Center, this past summer some students were able to secure virtual internships with multinational companies and the school launched the premier edition of its Summer Virtual Learning Program, a 4-week transition and college prep experience for high school seniors.

Admissions is ongoing for both undergraduate and graduate programs – October and January 2021 starts, with plans to start online and transition to campus in the last quarter of the year. Webster University Ghana’s Admissions Office can be reached by phone on 054 012 0849 / 054 012 0869.

Webinar: Financing the Franchising Sector – A Workshop for the Finance Industry in Ghana

The Foreign Commercial Service of the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, in collaboration with AmCham Ghana and the Africa Franchise Centre (AFC) Lagos, on Tuesday, August 25, 2020, hosted a webinar on Financing the Franchising Sector. The event was a workshop to educate and expose players in the finance industry to the concept of franchise financing.

The event provided an understanding of how the franchising sector works, becoming aware of how to unlock it, as well as identify some reasons why people are hesitant to finance franchises.

The presenter, Emma Esinnah, Country Director, Curves International, Nigeria, took participants through the transaction dynamics to help make informed decisions when appraising proposals.

 

The global franchising industry is a $3 trillion (estimated) industry with products and services in over 300 business categories.

Emma Esinnah also highlighted some of the benefits franchising, such as risk avoidance associated with start-ups, reduction in start-ups cost and time, and proven products, services, and operational methods. Mr. Asinnah believes these benefits make franchising a strategy for business growth which benefits the economy and the banks.

He also presented a case study of South Africa’s franchising sector, which according to a 2019 report, by the Franchising Association of South Africa (FASA) is over 15.7% to GDP, and employs over 343,000 people.

Mr. Asinnah noted that the success of a franchise depends on its system and encouraged bankers and stakeholders to take a keen interest in finding out the strengths and limits of a franchise’s operational system. He also advised that bankers praise the franchise and not the franchisee, as findings revealed people who mostly succeed with franchises have no prior business experience.

According to Mr. Asinnah, the banking sector has played an instrumental role in the success story of the South African franchising industry by creating special products and services specifically tailored to suit the sector. He also dismissed the assertion that the influx of foreign franchises stifles local businesses, he said instead when managed well, franchising can help grow local businesses to international standards.

Present at the webinar was the AmCham Ghana Executive Secretary, Simon Majie, who delivered the closing remarks and acknowledged the importance of franchising to the development of local businesses.

Also present were Hannah Kamenetsky, Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Embassy Ghana, and Paul Arinze, President at Pedestal Africa Ltd.

ATC Ghana And American Tower Foundation COVID-19 Relief Efforts

ATC Ghana has through its philanthropic initiatives, responded to the ongoing COVID-19 Relief efforts by donating to hospitals and other institutions involved in the fight against the pandemic in Ghana.

The company donated medical supplies and personal hygiene products to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. The items included  600 N95 face masks, 150 PPE, 60 face shields and 60 sanitizers, 70 gloves, 60 disposable bedsheets, and medical-grade cleaning detergents.

The Tamale Teaching Hospital also received 100 N95 face masks, 30 PPE, 60 face shields and 60 sanitizers, 70 gloves, and 60 disposable bedsheets.

ATC Ghana also donated 300 N95 face masks, 70 PPE, 10 face shields and 10 sanitizers, 20 gloves, 10 disposable bed sheets, and medical-grade cleaning detergents to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

The company through similar efforts provided 600 N95 face masks, 200 PPE, 100 face shields and 100 sanitizers, 120 gloves, 100 disposable bed sheets, and medical-grade cleaning detergents to the Ga East Municipal Hospital.

To support COVID-19 education and public awareness across Ghana, ATC donated 150 sanitizers, 500 local face masks, 10 Veronica buckets, 100 hand tissues, and 100 gallons of liquid hand-washing soap to the National Commission for Civic Education.

In addition to the above donations, American Tower Foundation also donated USD$100,000.00 to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research to enable testing, research, and training of front-liners in the war against COVID-19.

As the pandemic continues and its social and economic effects are felt with greater intensity, ATC Ghana remains committed to working with all stakeholders to help navigate through this crisis.

ATC Ghana is the largest independent owner and operator of shared wireless infrastructure in Ghana. They provide towers, in-building systems, power solutions, and services that speed network deployment for the wireless and broadcast communications industry.

 

Visit https://lnkd.in/es85wbk to get more details on #AmChamMemberCOVID19Support

U.S. Chamber of Commerce International Policy Update

Chamber Leads Lawsuit Against Unprecedented Work Visas Restrictions

On July 21, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the National Retail Federation, and others sued to challenge federal restrictions on businesses’ ability to meet their workforce needs through lawful immigration. U.S. Chamber CEO Thomas J. Donohue released the following statement after the suit was filed:

“Our lawsuit seeks to overturn these sweeping and unlawful immigration restrictions that are an unequivocal ‘not welcome’ sign to the engineers, executives, IT experts, doctors, nurses, and other critical workers who help drive the American economy. Left in place, these restrictions will push investment abroad, inhibit economic growth, and reduce job creation.”
Donohue also penned an op-ed in The New York Times this week entitled “Why the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Is Suing the Trump Administration [Over Immigration].” In the column, Donohue wrote that the recent moves represent

“the most restrictionist immigration policies in nearly a century. This is a fundamental mistake at a time when our nation’s economy is already suffering.

“If you want businesses to grow and the economy to rebound, you allow skilled workers to come here legally to work and contribute to the well-being of our nation; you don’t lock them out. If you want the next revolutionary start-up to be founded in America, you welcome foreign students; you don’t threaten to upend their lives and send them home during the middle of a pandemic.”

For further information, please contact Executive Director for Immigration Policy Jon Baselice (jbaselice@uschamber.com).
New U.S. Chamber ‘Discover and Deliver’ Initiative Shows the All-of-Nation Effort to Defeat Coronavirus  

On July 21, the U.S. Chamber Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC) launched its Discover and Deliver initiative to show what the nation’s brightest scientific minds and most innovative companies are doing to discover effective treatments and cures for COVID-19, outlined in an interactive map which depicts where COVID-19-related innovations are being developed in the United States.

The map reveals that there are currently 560 clinical trials of potential COVID-19 solutions in all 50 states, across 85 percent of congressional districts.

Discover and Deliver puts on full display the unprecedented scope and speed of what companies are actively doing to defeat COVID-19, and how policymakers can help accelerate the process by protecting intellectual property, removing trade barriers, like unnecessary tariffs and export bans, and encouraging strategic collaboration through public-private partnerships.

“When it comes to the fight against COVID-19, every community’s contribution counts,” said David Hirschmann, CEO of the U.S. Chamber GIPC. “This has to be, and is, an all-of-nation effort. In the United States alone, the size and scope of this effort is staggering. Our new interactive map we are launching today tells the story of that amazing scope in a visual, digestible way.”

The campaign kicked off with a virtual public event featuring leading voices from the business community, biopharma innovators, and those directing clinical trials in communities across the nation. The Discover and Deliver campaign will also sponsor a series of virtual events to help disseminate information and hold space for discussion at the local level.

The campaign’s next event will spotlight a local community’s efforts, inviting participants to consider a ”boots on the ground” view of progress underway.

“Today’s event was a good reminder that we’re all in this together, and we all have a part to play,” said Hirschmann. “If we all play our parts, we can help ensure that the innovative discoveries happening today can be delivered to people tomorrow.”

Each week the U.S. Chamber spotlights companies on the front-line search for effective treatments and vaccines to combat COVID-19, to access the entire catalog of articles, visit the U.S. Chamber Global Innovation Policy Center’s Discover & Deliver page.

 

Chamber Sends Association Letter Urging Updates to Privacy Shield

As we reported last week, the European Court of Justice ruled on July 16 in Data Protection Commissioner v Facebook Ireland, Maximillian Schrems (“Schrems II”) that the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield is no longer a valid mechanism for transferring personal data. The Court however upheld the validity of the Standard Contractual Clauses, which remain an important, privacy protective mechanism for transferring data.

In response, on July 17, the Chamber led an association letter, sent to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, urging the U.S. administration to work collaboratively with its EU counterparts to develop a stable and sustainable mechanism for companies to transfer data between the European Union and the United States. The letter highlights the importance of regulators to ensuring data transfers can continue while a new agreement is under discussion.

Signed by 30 associations, the letter in part reads:

“More than 5,300 U.S. companies use the Privacy Shield, and those businesses contribute significantly to the nearly $1.1 trillion in total U.S. trade in goods and services with the European Union. Companies in the automotive, retail, hospitality, logistics, health care, manufacturing and human resource management fields are all certified to the Privacy Shield Program. Small and medium sized businesses account for more than 70% of Privacy Shield participants.

“The effects of [last] Thursday’s decision reach far beyond the more than 5,300 Privacy Shield- certified companies. Indeed, Privacy Shield certified companies have suppliers of goods and services, comprising a network of tens of thousands of additional companies, all of which indirectly rely upon Privacy Shield. The decision also comes at a particularly precarious time for American businesses, as the COVID-19 pandemic has led many to use remote services and rely on the ability to move data across the globe.”

For further information, please contact Senior Vice President for International Regulatory Affairs Sean Heather (sheather@uschamber.com).

 

SFRC Republicans Introduce China Legislation

On July 22, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) and colleagues introduced the Strengthening Trade, Regional Alliances, Technology, Economic and Geopolitical Initiatives concerning China (STRATEGIC) Act. According to a press release, the objective of the legislation is “to advance a comprehensive strategy for U.S. competition with the People’s Republic of China (PRC).” Key provisions include:

  • Tackle China’s economic practices that distort global markets and hurt U.S. businesses, especially IP theft and mass government subsidization and sponsorship of Chinese companies;
  • Confront tech competition by increasing technology collaboration with allies and partners;
  • Safeguard institutions from malign and undue PRC influence;
  • Strengthen U.S. posture in the Indo-Pacific to protect its interests, allies, and partners; and
  • Prioritize cooperation over conflict when possible on areas such as arms control, North Korea, and the environment, if the PRC demonstrates good faith and transparency.

To view a copy of the legislation, click here.

For a section by section summary, click here.

For further information, please contact China Center President Jeremie Waterman (jwaterman@uschamber.com).

 

Finance Committee to Hold Hearings on Medical Supplies, WTO

On Tuesday, July 28, at 10:15 a.m. the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Part 1: Protecting the Reliability of the U.S. Medical Supply Chain During the COVID-19 Pandemic”. Witnesses include:

Thomas F. Overacker
Cargo And Conveyance Security, Office Of Field Operations, United States Customs and Border ProtectionSteve K. Francis
Assistant Director, Homeland Security Investigations Global Trade Investigations Division, Director, National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center
United States Immigration, Customs, and EnforcementSoraya Correa
Chief Procurement Officer, United States Department of Homeland Security

For more information about the hearing, click here.On Wednesday July 29, at 10:15 a.m. the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing entitled “WTO Reform: Making Global Rules Work For Global Challenges”. Witnesses include:

Jennifer Hillman
Senior Fellow For Trade And International Political Economy, Council on Foreign RelationsThomas R. Graham
Partner, Cassidy Levy KentLaura J. Lane
President, Global Public Affairs, UPS

Joseph Glauber, Ph.D
Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute

Michele Kuruc
Vice President, Ocean Policy, World Wildlife Fund

To watch the hearing, click here.For further information, please contact Senior Vice President of International Policy John Murphy (jmurphy@uschamber.com).

Kosmos Energy Donates Enhanced Testing Equipment Valued at $50,000 to the Ghana Health Service

Kosmos Energy Ghana has donated automated DNA/RNA extraction machine, RNA extraction test kits, and swab kits with transporters worth $50, 000 to the Ghana Health Service to help the Covid-19 fight.

Kosmos is confident that these items would complement the aggressive testing initiative of the Government of Ghana by enhancing the ability of GHS to deliver more rapid test results to support timely isolation and treatment of COVID-19 cases.

Kosmos is a full-cycle deepwater independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on the Atlantic Margins. Our key assets include production offshore Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, as well as a world-class gas development offshore Mauritania and Senegal. We also maintain a sustainable exploration program balanced between proven, emerging, and frontier basins.

Procter and Gamble (P&G) Supports Government’s COVID-19 Fight with Face Masks

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, P&G has supported the efforts of the Ghanaian government to curtail the spread of COVID-19 with a donation of 11,100 personal protective equipment in the form of face masks. We understand that this donation of protective equipment will support health workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a cause we wholeheartedly support.

P&G has a long history of supporting our communities in times of need all around the world. Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, P&G globally – through “P&G Protect Our Heroes” Mission – has stepped up its commitment to be a force for good and have been working with long-standing partner organizations like the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana (AmCham Ghana) to provide support to communities, relief agencies and people impacted by this challenging situation.

P&G as a company serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®.

The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. P&G has been operating in Sub-Saharan Africa for more than 25 years and in Ghana through our distributors for over 5 years contributing economically and socially.

Our purpose is to continue to touch and improve the lives of our consumers in Ghana with innovative brands. Some of our brands in Ghana include Pampers®, Always®, Ariel®, Oral B®, and Gillette®.

Miriam Badu representing P&G Ghana Trading Ltd commended the government on its effort in showing strong leadership during this period.

Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Provides 300 Residents In Ayawaso With Relief Packages

Before the novel COVID-19 virus hit the shores of Ghana, United Way Ghana was already collaborating with Standard Chartered Bank Ghana under our overarching program, Improving Basic Education (IBE). This partnership was initiated to improve the teaching and learning engagements of teachers and young learners while providing parents and caregivers the necessary tools to make them financially literate and self-reliant.

When the shutdown of schools made it impossible to go through with the IBE program, our collaboration with Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) evolved to support the vulnerable communities under our COVID-19 Response Initiative. Through our partnership with SCB, we will be supporting the parents and caregivers of the wards in the Kanda Cluster of schools by providing them with relief packages and engaging their young learners in a remote reading program for an entire month. These relief packages contain essential foodstuffs like rice, gari, beans, sugar, mackerel, soap, oil, and tin tomatoes and sanitary items for the household.

Soon after this agreement, SCB presented relief packages worth GHC85,000.00 for 300 households in Ruga, Kawukudi, and Maamobi with the promise of beginning remote literacy engagements in the coming weeks. Mr. Nimfah- Essuma, the Chief Financial Officer of Standard Chartered Ghana, commented during the presentation, “Having operated in Ghana for more than 120 years, we are committed to supporting our communities and the country at large during such dire times of need. Our immediate goal is to deliver relief measures to support the most vulnerable, and it is the reason we have partnered with United Way to address the needs of the most impacted. “We shall continue mobilizing our resources to support the most vulnerable,” he added.

Aside from having wards in Kanda Cluster of Schools, the beneficiaries receiving these packages are parents and caregivers who depend on the school feeding program to provide meals for their children.

To ensure the safety of all present we adopted the social distancing protocols recommended by the World Health Organization and the Ghana Ministry of Health. Before entering, beneficiaries had to wash their hands with soap and water. Then when called, enter into the building to show their coupon before receiving their package.  The look of relief on faces humbled all present. It was obvious that for most, this was God sent. “I am very thankful to have known Standard Chartered Bank and United Way Ghana, this package is going to make my family very happy today”, commented one man after receiving his package. A young learner sent by his mother said, “When my mother asked me to come, I was anxious because I did not know what to expect. Now I am happy I came, my little brothers and sisters will have good food to eat. You have really helped us”.

Most of the volunteers teared up after his comment, “I am lucky I get to do this, it has been a very humbling experience for me. I am not going to forget this anytime soon. I appreciate my parents providing for me and my siblings” commented Mary-Anne, a volunteer with United Way Ghana. In attendance at the distribution centers were volunteers and staff from United Way Ghana, Mother of All Nations, Muslim Family Counselling Services, and Achievers Ghana.

There were solemn moments during the distribution when it became apparent that these beneficiaries were receiving what they felt was a lifeline. Louisa Mensah, Resource Mobilization and Donor Retention Lead commented, “It has been a fulfilling experience, the gratitude the beneficiaries showered on us makes me believe that these packages will go a long way to provide sustenance for their families”.

With schools still suspended, the staff of Standard Chartered Bank will be engaging young learners of these beneficiaries through our remote reading program. We expect the young learners will be ready to be engaged and eager to learn.

With each engagement, our goal to support underserved communities under our COVID-19 Response Initiative becomes a reality. We have a long way to go in reaching our overarching goals but we continue to press on and know that each donation makes a difference in the lives of many people.

You can join us by going to https://unitedwaygh.org/united-way-ghana-COVID-19.php to find out more information,

Webinar: Accessing Co-Investment Opportunities and Exporting Under AGOA

The Chamber on June 16, 2020, collaborated with USAID and the West Africa Trade & Investment Hub to host a webinar to discuss the Trade Hub’s Co-Investment Opportunities and how companies can take advantage and export to the United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The event forms part of the ongoing AmCham Money Series.

AmCham Ghana Executive Secretary, Simon Madjie, reiterated the chamber’s commitment to assisting companies in doing business and help provide vital information to mitigate the impact of the new coronavirus.

The Trade Hub is a five-year trade and investment facilitation program that seeks to improve private sector competitiveness in West Africa through its $60 million Co-Investment Fund.

The program makes it possible for applicants to access grant funding from $250,000 to $2 million.  In Ghana currently, there is $8.5 million of grant funding (approx. 48.7 million Cedi) available for companies interested in co-partnering with the Trade Hub to generate new private investment, create jobs, and increase exports.

The aim is to co-invest in activities that contribute to; creating new jobs, generating high levels of private investment, increasing the value of exports and/or sales, empowering women and the youth, and introducing innovations to modernize agriculture.

Private sector companies, research institutions, universities, and non-profit/for-profit organizations looking to grow and upgrade their businesses, expand corporate social responsibility projects, or conduct research and development activities to pursue market and technological innovations in the agriculture sector can apply.

In addition to its co-investment partnerships, the Trade Hub also provides technical assistance to businesses so they can benefit from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). AGOA was established to promote increased trade and investment between the U.S. and sub-Saharan African countries resulting in significant growth in total two-way trade between Sub-Saharan African countries and the United States.

AGOA/GSP represents  23% of total US-bound duty-free exports from AGOA beneficiaries and currently, Ghana is the 4th leading exporter.

The Trade Hub can assist companies in the eligibility process to export under AGOA, and also facilitates access to U.S. buyers for interested companies. Click to Download Presentation

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