AmCham Ghana and U.S.-Africa Business Center Pave Way for Digital Economy Advancement with Communications Minister

In line with the priorities placed on advancing the digital economy and supporting Africa’s innovation ecosystem, AmCham Ghana, in collaboration with the U.S.-Africa Business Center—led by President Kendra Gaither and Vice President Dr. Guevera Yao—paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation of Ghana,Hon. Samuel Nartey George, at the Ministry’s head office in Accra.

The meeting centered on key innovations in the digital and agricultural sectors, with a focus on identifying strategic partnerships and training opportunities across various innovation-driven areas.

Hon. Samuel Nartey George outlined the ministry’s roadmap for implementation, emphasizing best practices designed to ensure that startups and businesses, whether incubated or accelerated, are well-positioned for scaling and innovation that meet global standards.

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American Companies in Ghana Support the Government in the Fight Against COVID-19

Accra, GHANA 15 April 2020. The American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) Ghana, is providing significant financial, technological and logistical resources to support the Government of Ghana’s fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“AmCham Ghana welcomes measures to combat the coronavirus, which will ensure that the virus does not spread further and protects at risk groups from COVID-19. The Chamber is poised to support the government to address logistical constraints faced by Ghana’s health sector while monitoring the impact of the pandemic across the country. We are also actively working to support frontline workers and are committed to supporting the government’s overall response to COVID-19,” Ayesha Bedwei, President of AmCham Ghana remarked.

In March 2020, the Chamber conducted the COVID-19 Business Impact Survey. The aim of the survey was to assess the impact of the outbreak and to highlight potential outcomes for businesses.

The survey which covered a wide range of industries including manufacturing, oil & gas, transportation and education, found that:

  • 50% of businesses have had their operations severely impacted by COVID-19.
  • Only 35% of businesses had plans in place to preserve business continuity and build enterprise resilience during a pandemic.
  • 85% of the businesses surveyed would experience supply chain disruption should movement continue to be restricted within the country.

In addition to the government’s efforts to minimize the economic impact of the pandemic, several U.S businesses are making significant contributions to the fight against COVID-19 across Africa and Ghana.

The Mastercard Foundation has committed approximately GHS90m to support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups in Ghana during the economic downturn caused by COVID-19. The foundation is working with the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) to support three million youth 70 percent being young women, over the next 10 years.

Newmont Ghana has provided US$100,000 to support the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine to procure COVID-19 testing kits. Newmont is supporting the Asutifi and Birim District Assemblies, and the Ahafo North Municipal Authority to support the local authorities’ efforts to fight the pandemic. Additionally, Newmont Corporation has established a US$20 million fund to help host communities, governments and employees combat COVID-19.

The Coca Cola Company and the Coca Cola Foundation have committed over US$120million to curb the spread of COVID-19. The specific allocation to Ghana is currently unknown and will be announced shortly. In addition, the company in partnership with its NGO partners, has contributed resources towards public education and has provided personal protective kits and beverages to all frontline workers.

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has provided GHS 100,000.00 to support the Government of Ghana’s COVID-19 Fund. At a global level, J&J is mobilizing resources to develop a vaccine which could potentially be approved under emergency authorization by 2021. J&J and its partners have committed over US$1billion to co-fund COVID-19 research, development and clinical trials.

Globally, Mastercard has committed US$25 million in seed funding to the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, a global initiative in collaboration with Wellcome and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to speed-up the response to the COVID-19 pandemic by identifying, assessing, developing, and scaling-up treatments.

The Visa Foundation has pledged US$ 210 million in funding to support frontline NGOs and small and micro enterprises that have been financially impacted due to the pandemic. US$ 10 million of the funding will be used to provide international emergency assistance to frontline public health charities and global food aid. US $ 200 million will be provided over a five- year period to assist small and micro-enterprises globally to support the economic advancement of women.

Microsoft has made freely available one of its Office 365 Applications-Microsoft Teams-a videoconferencing, chat and team collaboration platform to help businesses, schools and individuals with remote working and learning navigate these challenging times.

IBM is supporting remote working and distance education efforts through its online learning platform (www.digitalnationafrica.com) to provide free online training on new technologies with certification and online job search engine.

AmCham Ghana commends the government’s efforts to address the COVID-19 crisis. For updates on support from American companies in Ghana’s fight against COVID-19 visit www.amchamghana.org/covid-19-support

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For more information, contact:
Simon Madjie,
Executive Secretary, Tel: 0244146585,
American Chamber of Commerce, Email: executivesecretary@amchamghana.org

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce And AmCham Ghana Host Ghana’s Finance Minister For A Private Business Roundtable

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana on Friday, April 12, 2019, hosted Ghana’s Finance Minister, Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta for a Private Business Roundtable at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC, USA.

The United States is one of Ghana’s biggest trading partners with a long history of cooperation and with over $1.6 billion in trade volume. The Private Roundtable was to provide an opportunity for U.S. Companies to explore opportunities in priority sectors such as energy, transportation, Agriculture, digital economy and finance.

April 12, 2019 – Washington, DC, USA: Ghana Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta. Photo by Ian Wagreich / © U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Also, the meeting aimed at fostering partnerships geared towards expanding business activities and further consolidating the already existing good relations between the two countries.

The Finance Minister provided a status update on President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda and shared new ways companies can be involved.

The Private Roundtable was organized in partnership with GIPC and was sponsored by ExxonMobil.

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Stockfox | AmCham Ghana Member Of The Month

Personalized shipping solutions provider, Stockfox is our Member of the Month for February.  The company officially launched in 2017 and has since provided tailored shipping solutions to meet the specific needs of their clients.

The company has dedicated personnel, ready to assist, support and provide you with the assistance you need to get your packages safely delivered to you. Stockfox currently has operations to Ghana out of the United States of America, United Kingdom, China, and Dubai.

Being a home-grown business venture, Stockfox can boast of a crafted courier service that gets customers what they need, when they need it and how they need it, without the hassle of having to contact and depend on friends and relatives and be at the mercy of other people’s schedules.

The companies scope of services which is perfect for individuals and small to large businesses include;

Package reception – you can shop yourself and mail packages to our addresses (after signup )in countries of operation for onward shipping to Ghana

Personalized Shipping – tailored to your specific shopping and shipping needs.

Concierge Service – Cant travel to do your shopping? This service assists with online purchases with our credit/debit cards if you are unable to. The service also includes in-store pickups and other personal shopping needs at your request.

 

Package Storage and Consolidation Service – We hold all packages till they are ready to be shipped as one bulk package to save on shipping costs.

Auto parts Service – Assists with the acquisition of automobile parts across Europe and the Americas. We provide new, used and refurbished prices to suit your budget and ship to Ghana.

Ship Only Service – Have your own clearing agent? We can simply ship your packages to you and hand over to your clearing agent. (2 business days)

All-Inclusive Service – StockFox handles your package reception, shipping, and Clearing (this includes delivery to your door at your request in 3-5 business days)

Contact

Our location
Ghana Airport Cargo Centre,
Suite 311
Airport City
Accra
Office phone
+233 24 243 8645
Working hours
Mon – Fri: 9AM – 5PM
Extended hours are on a case by case basis.

(Corporate/Time Sensitive Shipments)

Email
info@mystockfox.com

AmCham Ghana Business Breakfast With National Black MBA Association

The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana on Friday, February 22, 2019, hosted members of the National Black MBA Association(NBMBAA) for a Business Breakfast engagement at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra. The event was organized in collaboration with the Ghana International Chamber of Commerce.

The National Black MBA Association is in Ghana for their 2nd  annual trade mission excursion. This Mission is to expose African Americans to the current African culture and the various investment opportunities across the continent; consequently potentially diversifying and growing their investment portfolios.

President of the Chamber, Joe Mensah in his opening remarks shared his experience when he returned home from the United States to open an IBM office in Ghana. He also said out of an experience, the agricultural sector is a viable business sector to invest in. He encouraged members of the National Black MBA Association to consider investing in that sector.

Jese Tyson, the President of the NBMBAA said throughout the trip, participants were exposed to the culture and life in both countries through guided activities, along with an opportunity for participants to give back. He added that their ongoing commitment to promote bilateral trade relationships have seen the association assist companies in finding overseas partners, license technology and aid in international growth.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Yofi Grant, who was also a speaker at the event encouraged the diaspora business community to take advantage of Ghana’s stable socioeconomic and competitive environment to partner their Ghanaian counterparts.

He added that members of the NBMBAA have come at a very instructive time, where the country has position itself to lead the economic emancipation of the continent of Africa.

The African American community is estimated to have a collective buying power of $1.3 trillion. This Matilda Arhin, the President of the Ghana International Chamber of Commerce believes can be leveraged to drive development on the African Continent.

“Every year the members spend $400 million on tourism, hence if these people are invited to return home, some for holidays and others to invest it will greatly improve on the sector,” she added.

President of the National Black MBA Association presented a special edition book on the association to Joe Mensah, President of AmCham Ghana for the support he has rendered the association over the years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The National Black MBA® Association was conceived in 1970 to help Blacks coming into the corporate sector, largely for the first time, share experiences and insights to help make the journey easier. By nurturing these new professionals, the organization helped early members navigate and, ultimately, succeed in unfamiliar and frequently challenging environments and have risen up and reached back to bring up the next generation of Black professionals through providing coaching, guidance and mentoring.

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AmCham Host Students From The State University of New York at Buffalo

The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana hosted some students from the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) on Monday, 14th January 2019 as part of the University’s Social Innovation and Entrepreneurial Leadership Program. During the meeting, the students from UB had the privilege of interacting with AmCham Ghana President, Joe Mensah, some business executives from AmCham member companies and senior officials of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre on the business environment in Ghana.

The students comprised medical and non-medical students, shared their experiences concerning their trip to various parts of the country focusing on their activities in health, economic development, business and sanitation among others.

Addressing the students at the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Joe Mensah noted that Ghana’s peaceful political atmosphere makes it a very attractive destination in West Africa for investors all over the world. He also noted that the common language (English) and similarity of laws of Ghana and many western countries makes Ghana even more attractive to investors.

According to him, the Government of Ghana, through its Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda, seeks to make the country self-sufficient. He however lamented the decline in the contribution of the agricultural sector to GDP in the country over the years but was optimistic of the progress being made in the sector in recent years. He commended the educational system of Ghana as being highly competitive and producing a highly skilled workforce and reiterated that Ghana is a good place to do business.

Representatives of the students from both the medical and non-medical fields gave an overview of the various activities they had undertaken in the country which included: running health clinics, visiting a number of businesses and market centers and tourist attractions. According to them, the experience which they described as invigorating also gave them an understanding of emerging trends in the Ghanaian economy.

An important issue that was raised by the students during the meeting was how to manage business and ethics in Ghana. Some members of the Chamber present at the event noted that whiles corruption and leadership has been the bane of Africa and Ghana for that matter, businesses needed to stick with their principles, resist the urge to give in to corrupt practices and clearly define their brand to represent what they stand for. They added that, although it is not easy to fight corruption in the business environment in the country, some of them have persevered over the years.

The students also highlighted accessibility to healthcare, low level of education especially among women, infrastructure, protocols involved in transactions, corruption, lack of funding, limited number of doctors in rural areas, brain drain, and waste management as some of the challenges they observed in the country. The executives of AmCham encouraged the students to contribute to finding solutions to the challenges identified.

Chamber executives also noted that the presence of mentors to orient investors on the business and cultural environment in Ghana provides an opportunity for students and Ghanaian expatriates to do business in Ghana. They challenged the students to identify opportunities in the gaps they have identified in the country and propose suitable solutions to help bridge them.

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Zeal Environmental Technologies Joins AmCham as Platinum Member

AmCham Ghana is pleased to announce Zeal Environmental Technologies Limited as our new member. The company is the Chamber’s new Platinum Member.

Zeal Environmental Technologies Limited Ghana was founded by Mr. Kwaku Ennin in 1977 to serve emerging and existing  Industrial Commerce by providing them with Corrosive Engineering and Structural Maintenance Services.

Zeal Ghana in the period spanning 1984-2003 went from a relatively small company to become one of the giants in the field of Corrosive Engineering Services serving various Industries in Ghana.

With a combined 35 plus years serving various Industries, the company has now extended coverage to the Oil, Gas and  Marine industries. Zeal Environmental today is one of the premier companies managing environmental waste and waste generated from  OIL & GAS Drilling, both onshore and offshore in  West Africa.

Zeal Environmental’s goal is to provide their clients with the best systems and methods for the processing of Industrial Waste to the extent of reusing the byproducts termed as waste.

It is the companies mission to design, utilize innovative processes and methods of managing Waste Streams of clients whiles preserving the most valuable resource, the environment. With the knowledge that they have as an organization is only as good as the personnel who manage, implement company values and maintain the trust their clients have in them.

Their services include Waste Water Treatment; Oil Water Based Mud and Drill Cuttings Management; Hazardous Material Incineration and Industrial, Medical, Municipal and Mining Waste Stream Management. Learn more

 

Main Office Takoradi Port                                                                                                    MAIN OFFICE :

ZEAL ENVIRONMENTAL                                                                                      +233-31 20 322 153
No.4 Beachmasters Drive                                                                                       +233-31 20 3214
Harbor Access Road                                                                                                General Manager:
Takoradi / Western Region                                                                                    +233-240-075-529
GHANA – WEST AFRICA                                                                                          +233-204-936-745

 

 

 

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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Dow Chemical Company | AmCham Member Of The Month

Dow Chemical is AmCham Ghana’s Member of the month for September. Dow Chemical’s growing presence in Africa demonstrates the company’s commitment to deliver industry leadership, technical innovation and expertise – with a focus on sustainability to help transform the region into a key player in the global chemicals industry.

Dow is among the three biggest chemical companies worldwide, with products ranging from plastics and packaging, agriculture, building and construction to oil and gas. The company which had operated in Ghana in the past, pulled out in the 1990s and had relied on intermediaries to reach Ghana’s market.

 

They combine science, understanding, and creativity to re-imagine what is vital to human progress. With thousands of patents and awards, Dow is a global innovation and sustainability leader. Dow is a diverse, inclusive community and together, they can solve anything.

According to Managing Director of Dow West Africa, Tony Groosman, the company is committed to making a contribution to the economic development of Ghana and Africa as a whole. Africa’s economic significance in the global marketplace has been demonstrated by increased political stability, improved economic policy and a growing consumer base all of which offer an advantageous environment for business to thrive.

The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity.

Dow’s diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture.

AmCham Meeting With Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative For Africa

September 10, 2018. President of AmCham Ghana, Mr. Joe Mensah, Executive Secretary, Simon Madjie and some Members of the Chamber met with the Deputy Assistant, U.S. Trade Representative for Africa, Bennet Harman.

The roundtable discussion focused on how the U.S. can strengthen its trade with Ghana and the Continent with emphasis on trade facilitation, tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade. Specific challenges in the investment environment and the ease of doing business in Ghana were also discussed.

On the impact of U.S. businesses in Ghana, Mr. Joe Mensah said “the U.S. has a lot to offer Ghana and the Continent. U.S. companies have much of what African Governments say they want and need. They operate ethically, they have high quality goods and services, and they prefer to have local talents.” The U.S. should focus on deepening its relationship with Africa, he added.

The Deputy Assistant Trade Representative for Africa, Mr. Harman also reiterated the commitment of the U.S. Administration on working with Ghana, when he highlighted the July visit to Ghana by Secretary Ross and members of the PAC-DBIA. He further said that the United States Trade Representative was exploring options of creating Free Trade Agreements with certain Countries on the Continent, as a way to promote the competitive edge for U.S. Companies.

Members present at this private roundtable included representatives from Dow Chemical, Coca- Cola Bottling Company, Kosmos Energy and Cummins Ghana Limited.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, and overseeing negotiations with other countries.

Ghana is currently the U.S. 81st largest goods trading partner with $1.6 billion in total (two way) goods trade during 2017. Goods exports totaled $860 million; goods imports totaled $750 million. The U.S. goods trade surplus with Ghana was $110 million in 2017.

According to the Department of Commerce, U.S. exports of goods to Ghana supported an estimated 5 thousand jobs in 2015 (latest data available).

The top U.S. export to Ghana categories (2-digit HS) in 2017 were: vehicles ($198 million), electrical machinery ($126 million), machinery ($106 million), mineral fuels ($89 million), and meat (poultry) ($53 million). The top import from Ghana categories (2-digit HS) in 2017 were: mineral fuels ($426 million), cocoa ($224 million), special other (previously exported item) ($17 million), wood and wood products ($13 million), and rubber ($12 million).

U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) in Ghana (stock) was $1.7 billion in 2017, a 14.3% decrease from 2016. There is no information on the distribution of U.S. FDI in Ghana.