AmCham Ghana Holds 2018 Thanksgiving Dinner Event

The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana on Saturday, November 17, 2018, held the 2018 AmCham Ghana Thanksgiving Dinner Event at the Lababi Beach Hotel. This year’s event was under the theme; ‘When diplomacy meets business: Strengthening US-Ghana relations to unlock business opportunities.’
The dinner was attended by leaders of the American and Ghanaian business community, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Charles Owiredu, who represented the sector minister. Also present was the Chargé D’affaires (Acting U.S. Ambassador to Ghana), H.E Christopher J. Lamora, AmCham Ghana President, Joe Mensah, Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Alan John Kyerematen, Heads of Mission and other Officials of U.S. Mission to Ghana, and a section of AmCham Ghana Members.

The dinner event is held annually to commemorate the American National Thanksgiving Day, network and raise funds for a charity cause. President of the Chamber, Mr. Joe Mensah during his remarks recounted some activities that took place during the year. He mentioned the hosting of a delegation from the U.S. Senate, the visit by U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, and some of the many other events hosted by the Chamber.

“I think we are being recognized as a Chamber to reckon with,” He added whiles thanking Members and all dignitaries present for the support they have rendered the Chamber over the years.

Chargé D’affaires at the U.S. Ghana Embassy, Christopher J. Lamora during his remarks acknowledged the importance of trade and commerce in strengthening bilateral relations between Ghana and the United States of America.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Reginal Integration, Hon. Charles Owiredu ‏whiles delivering a speech on behalf of the sector minister acknowledged the long-standing bilateral relations between Ghana and the United States.

“The economic relations between our two countries have been robust, characterized by several business ventures and exchanges, mostly within the private sector,” the Deputy Minister said.

He also said that the Government is taking all necessary measures to boost the activities of businesses through the creation of an enabling environment with the introduction of appropriate legal and other incentives regimes, which he said are already producing results.

The Chamber used the ceremony to recognize the contributions of some individuals and Members that have helped the chamber in diverse ways in the year 2018.

The Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Alan John Kyerematen was adjudged the Most Outstanding Ghanaian Government Official, for the exemplary support and contribution to the development and promotion of Trade and Investment between Ghana and the United States of America. Jayne Howell, Consular Section Chief, was adjudged the Most Outstanding U.S. Government Official for introducing reforms to facilitate and promote business between the Republic of Ghana and the United States of America.

This year’s Best Member Awards went to Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, Kosmos Energy Ghana HC, Consolidated Shipping Agencies Limited (CONSHIP), Enterprise Group Limited, and Rendeavour (Appolonia Devt. Company Limited).  Kimathi and Partners were also presented with an award of appreciation for being the headline sponsor of the AmCham Ghana Thanksgiving Dinner Event for the second consecutive year.

The Assistant Editor of the Graphic Business, Mr. Charles Benoni Okine, was also recognized for his continuous support in championing the course of AmCham Ghana to the benefit of Ghanaian and Unites States’ businesses in the country in the year under review.

Hon. Alan Kyerematen in his acceptance remarks assured Ghanaians and the investor community of the intentions of the government to use this year’s budget statement to strongly revive activities within the economy. He said after using the first two budgets since 2017 to stabilize the economy and place it on the right footing, it was time for a takeoff, adding that “this will happen this year for all to see.”

For a charity cause, the Chamber offered financial support to two charity foundations, an amount of GH¢50,000 was donated to United Way Ghana, a foundation that is providing literacy for young people in inner cities of the country.

Additional GH¢10,000 was also donated to the St. Bakhita Foundations, an orphanage which takes care of vulnerable children, especially females, and provide them with the basic needs to be enrolled in school.

The 2018 AmCham Ghana Thanksgiving Dinner Event was sponsored by Kimathi and Partner (Headline Sponsors), with support from Delta Air Lines, who provided a Business Class Ticket for auction and a photo booth provided by TopDog  Africa.

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OTC 2019 | Ghana Pavilion Launched.

The Ghana pavilion for 2019 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) to be held in Houston, Texas from May 6th to May 9th, 2019, has been launched. The pavilions were launched at an event organized by Consolidated Shipping Agencies Limited (Conship), at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Accra on Tuesday, November 20, 2019.

Last year, Conship secured Ghana’s first-ever pavilion at the world’s largest gathering of energy professionals with over 10 exhibitors coming from Ghana. The success of last year’s event led to Ghana securing two (2) pavilions for this year’s event.

Addressing companies at the launch,  Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Conship, Mrs. Linda Vasnani, said the “impressive turnout of companies last year has compelled us to find a bigger venue, located in a more strategic position, to enhance the visibility of our companies at the event”.

“The turnout was very good. We received information that that was the largest Ghanaian turnout in the history of the OTC,” she added.

Mrs. Vasnani said the birth of the Ghana Pavilion had put Ghana on the oil and gas industry map, adding: “We also received a lot of visitors from the Malaysian and the South African pavilions and other companies. It was surprising to note that some of the oil and gas related companies didn’t even know that Ghana was drilling oil and so that was an eye-opener for a lot of companies and that is why we urge all other companies to fully leverage on the opportunity.”

According to her, the event exceeded “our expectations. We received a lot of support from the exhibitors, the commercial services of the American Embassy, the Ministry of Energy and the American Chamber of Commerce. Foreign companies also showed their interest and support”.

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is where energy professionals meet to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources and environmental matters.

Celebrating 50 years since 1969, OTC’s flagship conference is held annually at NRG Park (formerly Reliant Park) in Houston. OTC has expanded technically and globally with the Arctic Technology Conference, OTC Brasil, and OTC Asia.

AmCham Ghana Exec. Sec. Simon Madjie in a group photograph with Mrs. Linda Vasnani, Mr. Chris Wilmot and Mr. Frank Ansong at the launch.

All exhibitors are recommended to register with the U.S. Commercial Service to enjoy the full benefits as Ghana’s delegation.

For more information, kindly contact Abdul-Aziz Anyang at abdul-aziz.ayang@trade.gov

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AmCham Ghana Hosts Ian Steff, Asst. Secretary for Global Markets & Director General of U.S Commercial Service

On Thursday, November 8, 2018, AmCham Ghana under the auspices of the U.S. Commercial Service, Ghana, hosted a dinner with Ian Steff, Asst. Secretary for Global Markets & Director General of U.S Commercial Service. The event was at the Accra Marriott Hotel.

Ian Steff is in Ghana to follow up on the MoU signed between United States President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business In Africa (PAC-DBIA) and the Government of Ghana in July 2018. He is in to have further talks with the Ghanaian Government on the implementation of the MoU.

In his remarks, Ian Steff stated that there is a lot of optimism among U.S. companies and investors are impressed with the new reforms being implemented by the Ghanaian government. The question now, he said is “how these reforms will take the deal to the finish line.”  He called for certainty on these reforms.

“No one company, no one individual can solve the issues we have. We need to dialogue,” Ian Steff added. He said there needs to be consensus in strengthening trade relations between Ghana and the United States.

Ian Steff also commended the Chamber and stakeholders involved in organizing the maiden AmCham U.S – Ghana Business Forum in July 2018, stating the importance of these face-to-face meetings and their relevance to improving the investment environment and further strengthening trade relations between the two countries.

According to EY Global’s 2018 Africa Attractiveness report, United States businesses and investors made more foreign direct investments (FDI) in Africa than counterparts from any other country last year. Overall, African countries saw FDI number rise by 6% to 718 projects up from the previous year’s 676.

U.S. companies are interested in investing in Ghana, according to Ian Steff; U.S. investors have expressed interest in the areas of health, energy, agriculture, transportation, and other vital sectors. He stated that the United States’ commitment to Ghana is for the long term. He also called for honest conversations on trade barriers.

H.E Christopher J. Lamora, Chargé D’affaires (Acting U.S. Ambassador to Ghana), stated in his remarks that the embassy is ready and willing to work with stakeholders to promote U.S. trade in Africa, project the positive aspects of Ghana and why investors should invest in the country.

H.E Lamora also said the embassy is positioning itself to be the go to place for investors seeking to invest in the country.

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Medtronic Africa Pty Limited | AmCham Member Of The Month.

Our member of the month for October is Medtronic Africa Pty Limited. Medtronic has been in existence for more than 30 years and offer therapies that treat nearly 70 conditions, including some of the world’s most challenging chronic diseases — like diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart disease. With the integration of Covidien as their Minimally Invasive Therapies Group, they can address the healthcare needs of more people around the world than ever.

The company’s mission is to contribute to human welfare by application of biomedical engineering in the research, design, manufacture, and sale of instruments or appliances that alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. Also, to strive without reserve for the greatest possible reliability and quality in their products; to be the unsurpassed standard of comparison and to be recognized as a company of dedication, honesty, integrity, and service.

Medtronic has a legacy of innovation and unique position as the world’s largest medical technology company which allows them to play a central role in transforming healthcare in South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa. They are also collaborating with new partners in new ways to create new innovations — ones that add both clinical and economic value. So that tomorrow, even more people can get the affordable care they need.

They believe everyone should have access to quality, affordable healthcare. The company also know that they lack the appropriate innovations to reach billions of patients who do not have access to their therapies and services. Designing innovative healthcare-access solutions in resource-limited settings requires a fundamentally different approach.

Formalized in 2016, Medtronic Labs is a distinct business within Medtronic that maximizes social impact alongside financial sustainability. Medtronic Labs designs healthcare delivery service models with and for underserved communities that integrate digital and product technologies across the patient care continuum. To amplify their impact and reach scale, they partner with local tech entrepreneurs, healthcare providers, NGOs, governments, and other stakeholders. Learn more…

About Allstar Insurance Brokers Limited

Allstar Insurance Brokers Limited recently joined AmCham Ghana as Gold Members. As a follow up, the Executive Secretary of the Chamber, Mr. Simon Madjie on Monday, October 22, 2018 visited the insurance brokers to interact with management.

Mr. Madjie had several conversations with the Managing Director of Allstar Insurance Brokers, Mr. Peter Osei-Duah. Their conversation among other issues, included the state of business and some advocacy strategies that AmCham Ghana can employ to better improve the business climate.

Allstar Brokers is a wholly Ghanaian owned limited liability broking firm with a unique strategy of providing bespoke services to individuals, corporate, affinity groups and SMEs. With experienced underwriters, and industry seasoned insurance professionals; Allstar Brokers has access to all insurers in Ghana, and several international partners, allowing risk to be reviewed and built from the ground up.

Mr. Peter Osei-Duah tells us about Allstar Insurance Brokers and shared some of their core functions in the video below.

 

Johnson and Johnson Holds Mental Health Stakeholders Meeting

Johnson and Johnson Medical Ghana held a stakeholders meeting in Accra on October 25, 2018 to discuss mental health issues. The event which was dubbed Mental Health Stakeholders Meeting was under the theme ‘Carving the Ideal Mental Health Journey Through Strategic Partnerships.’

The event brought together stakeholder from across the health sector, politicians, policy makers and a section of the general public.

The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, who was the Chairman of the event assured stakeholders in mental health care that parliament will work towards the passage of the Legislative Instrument (LI) on Ghana’s Mental Health Act.

He said it was unfortunate that the five year old LI had not been passed, particularly so when its passage would help the Mental Health Authority operate efficiently.

According to statistics 41 per cent of Ghanaians had one form of psychological distress or another and 40 per cent of all cases at any general hospital have some relationship with mental health problem.

Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, Dr. Akwasi Osei who was also a speaker at the event said, “Mental illness reduces lifespan by as much as 12 to 20 years and the high suicide rate of 1,500 deaths per year can be attributed to one mental disorder or another.”

The plight of mental health patients and health worker has been worsened with several challenges including lack of adequate funding.  Special guest of honor at the event, Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana, Her Excellency, Samira Bawumia attested to the fact of inadequate funding. “We cannot afford to lose workers because they can’t afford mental health care,” She said.

“We cannot be unconcerned and we need to act now. As a nation, it is imperative that we make mental health care a priority,” she stressed, and called for awareness creation on mental health and care.

The Country Manager of Johnson and Johnson, Ms Priscilla Owusu-Sekyere, said Janssen Pharmaceutica, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, was fostering mental health partnerships to ensure that no patient was left behind. She added that, her company is using innovative pricing to make mental health drugs cheaply available to patients.

She said Janssen was leading efforts at transforming mental health care by raising awareness, reducing the stigma associated with mental illness, building the capacity of healthcare professionals and improving access to health care.

On building the capacity of healthcare professionals, Ms Owusu-Sekyere said Janssen had so far sponsored 18 students to undergo a year’s training in mental healthcare delivery and improving access to health care.

Several suggestions were made at the meeting as to how mental health care delivery can be made more accessible, effective and efficient. Some of the suggestions were the inclusion of mental health care delivery into the NHIS, the establishment of a mental health board, the incorporation of mental health care into the general health care system and the preparation of a national prevalence data to guide policy and interventions.

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AmCham Ghana Joins USAID for Trade Africa Learning Event

Wednesday, October 24, 2018. The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana led by the Executive Secretary, Mr. Simon Madjie joined U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for their Trade Africa Learning Event held in Accra, Ghana.

The event was under the theme, ‘Enhancing Ghana’s Trade Competitiveness: Lessons from the Trade Africa Partnership.’ The Trade Africa Learning event brought together Government of Ghana officials and other partners to share some achievements attained over the years and the opportunities available for Ghana to boost exports of Ghanaian products, and diversify its export base to high-value markets.

Since 2016, the “Trade Africa” initiative has provided $10 million to support the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement, improve phytosanitary standards, help Ghana overcome technical barriers to trade, and support policies that promote regional trade and investment.

AmCham Ghana has been a beneficiary of the USAID led initiative. The Chamber was assisted to improve on its communication and to effectively strengthen our advocacy capacity through regular engagement with top Government officials, policy makers and other stakeholders.

The Chamber’s Executive Secretary in his remarks acknowledged the assistance provided by USAID in organizing events during the period of engagement.  He stated that notable among them was the engagement with Her Ladyship, Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo. An event which brought together the custodians of the country’s laws and the business community under one roof to dialogue and find mutual grounds where law will aid business and vise versa.

The Trade Africa initiative has achieved several successes during its two year period. These include the support provided to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture vegetable export task force to improve quality standards in order to restore access by Ghanaian vegetable exporters to the European Union. This reduced the number of shipments intercepted by EU authorities drastically.

The figures dropped from 330 interceptions in 2014 to four (4) in 2017.

The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah, Commissioner for the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Mr. Isaac Crentsil, the USAID/Ghana Acting Mission Director, Steven E. Hendrix and other key personalities.

USAID/Ghana Acting Mission Director, Steven E. Hendrix in his remarks said, “The U.S. government is proud to support the government through increased exports of Ghanaian goods and businesses to the world markets.”

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New Member | Allstar Insurance Brokers Limited Joins AmCham Ghana

The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana is privileged to announce Allstar Insurance Brokers Limited as our new Member. Allstar Brokers, a wholly Ghanaian owned limited liability broking firm and one of the leading insurance brokers in Ghana joined AmCham Ghana as a Gold Member.

Allstar Insurance Brokers has a unique strategy of providing bespoke services to individuals, corporates, affinity groups and SMEs. With experienced underwriters, and industry seasoned insurance professionals; Allstar Brokers has access to all insurers in Ghana, and several international partners, allowing risk to be reviewed and built from the ground up.

Their aim is to look out for the interest of their clients, and to ensure that policyholders get the cover they need. That’s what they do, ensuring that you get the cover you need.

Allstar Brokers are able to tailor benefits to protect your company and your employees including burglary insurance, cash-in-transit, goods-in-transit, public liability, bankers indemnity, advance mobilisation, customs bond, assets all risks, combined fire package, fleet motor vehicle, group life, group medical, international group medical, group personal accident, and critical illness insurance, key man insurance, shareholders protection insurance, medical expenses, evacuation & repatriation, welfare insurance schemes, and many variations thereof.

They have a wealth of experience and insight into the wants and needs of individuals like you, corporate entities and organisations. Allstar Insurance Brokers strive to provide simple, effective services which bridge the policyholder insurance company maze. And they back this with reliable delivery in all aspects of the service, whether that be needs assessment, fulfilment and enrolment, claims or assistance.

Allstar Brokers offer General Insurance which includes Accident Insurance, Motor Vehicle Insurance, Fire & Allied Perils and Marine & Aviation Insurance. Their also offer Life Insurance, Medical & Travel Insurance and Product Development Learn More…

They are in partnership with 47 Local Insurance Companies and are ready to broker the Insurance Needs for Individuals, Corporates & SME’s.

AmCham Ghana is pleased to welcome Allstar Insurance Brokers into our fold of progressive businesses.

Location: 2nd Floor, Stanley Marbell Plaza
Asylum Down, Accra – Ghana

P. O. Box CT 6104
Cantonments – Accra

Landline: +233 302 243 699
Peter Osei Duah: +233 244 362 432
Francis Asamoah-Owusu: +233 209 283 395
Elvis Kumordzie: +233 200 005 550
Email: info@allstarbrokersgh.com

AmCham Ghana Appeals for Grace Period for Members on Tax Stamp Policy

The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana lauds the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for the launch and implementation of the Tax Stamp Policy which is aimed at addressing the counterfeiting of products on the Ghanaian market and to improve revenue generation of the Government. As a member-driven organization, the Chamber and its members acknowledge and support Government’s goal of raising revenue and stopping the constant counterfeit products being dumped onto our markets.

However, members of the Chamber who are in the beverage manufacturing sector have encountered challenges in implementing the Tax Stamp Policy and would like to appeal to the Government for more time. The main challenge is that these beverage producers need to acquire and install specialized machinery to fix these stamps on their products. The companies would have to import the tax stamp fixing machines and would need some grace period to allow the machines to be shipped, cleared and installed in their current factory lines.

As of the writing of this paper, beverage producers who are members of the Chamber are unable to sell their products due to their inability to fix the Tax Stamps and this is likely to affect their business and jobs of almost a 1000 people.

The Chamber acknowledges that some of its Members have had series of engagements with the Ministry of Finance and GRA to discuss these challenges and would be very grateful that this request for a grace period is considered by the tax authority.

The American Chamber of Commerce is a strong advocate for the President’s Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda and is committed to support the Government to improve the efficiency of revenue administration and collect taxes to help Ghana achieve its development objectives.

U.S. – Ghana Executive Business Roundtable Meeting With The President of Ghana

The U.S. – Africa Business Center in collaboration with the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana and Ghana Investment Promotion Center on September 24, 2018 held a private ‘Executive Business Roundtable’ meeting with H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The event took place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York, USA.

Discussions were held on the state of Ghana’s investment environment and means to further improve it to make it attractive to investors. This is in line with the President’s vision of industrializing the country.

Also, further discussions were held on the priority areas for FDI agreed between the U.S. Government and the Government of Ghana during U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross’s visit to Ghana in July, 2018.

H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo also spoke about the advantages of investing in Ghana. This was followed by a Q&A session and the signing of an MoU between the U.S. – Africa Business Center and the Ghana Investment Promotion Center.

The MoU is to promote and drive Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Ghana, promote AGOA and market Ghana as a place to do business in Africa.

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