Business24 Newspaper 10th December, 2021

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

BUSINESS24.COM.GH

Friday December 10, 2021

Vodafone offers 200% extra data in exciting promo

NO. B24 / 285 | News for Business Leaders

ECOWAS ministers to hold virtual session on border reopening

See page 7

See page 9

Gov’t outlines measures to combat illegal fishing

By Eugene Davis ugendavis@gmail.com

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he Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has assured that the country will tackle the problem of illegal fishing, which has resulted in a second yellow card issued by the EU. The yellow card is a formal warning that could lead to a seafood export ban to the EU. Ghana’s failure to tackle illegal fishing has led to a second yellow card, but the Fisheries Minister is determined to break with the past Cont’d on page 2

Ghana’s waters have been plagued by illegal fishing for decades

Non-traditional exports earn US$2.85bn in 2020

By Patrick Paintsil p_paintsil@hotmail.com

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hana’s non-traditional export (NTE) trade earned US$2.8bn in 2020, a marginal 1.8 percent decline from the previous year’s figure Cont’d on page 3

Ghana signs strategic partnership agreement with Guyana

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hana and Guyana have signed a framework agreement on cooperation designed to actualize the growing strategic partnership between the two countries.

A number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) in Cont’d on page 3

Cont’d on page 2 Cont’d on page 2

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Editorial / News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

Editorial

Second yellow card: A final wakeup call

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hana appears to be lagging in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in its territorial waters as the European Union has issued a second yellow card to the country. This is final warning before the next decision to place a ban on seafood exports to the European market.

Ghana’s waters have been plagued by illegal fishing for decades. In particular, “saiko” is a severely destructive form of illegal fishing, where industrial trawlers illegally target the staple catch of small-scale canoe fishers and transfer it to specially adapted boats at sea for sale at local markets.

The practice is having a severe impact on Ghana’s small pelagic fish populations, and sardinella is already on the brink of collapse, with landings having crashed by 80percent over the past 20 years.

Ghana was first issued with a yellow card by the EU in 2013, and this was lifted in 2015 as a result of new legislation and a clear fisheries management plan.

However, while these policies are well constructed, they have not been implemented or enforced, allowing the situation to deteriorate and leading the European Commission to reissue a yellow card warning.

It is the second country ever to have been re-carded in this way,

and it must now urgently work to eradicate illegal fishing by vessels flying its flag and operating in its waters.

Sector minister, Hawa Koomson, has come out to state government’s response to the latest development including the steps it has outlined to combat the IUU menace.

We continue to emphasise that the fight against this illegal fishing practice cannot be achieved in isolation and we urge all stakeholders in the fisheries space, including fisheries-based civil society organisations, to join forces to tackle it head-on.

Gov’t outlines measures to combat illegal fishing Continued from cover

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to enforce Ghana’s own laws and eradicate illegal fishing, while ensuring transparency across the industry to expose illegal operators and reward those who abide by the law.

Addressing the press at Parliament House in Accra, she said: “The Ministry in collaboration with the EU has set up a dialogue committee, and what we are doing is to provide the EU team with [the] measures that we are going to take to combat illegal fishing.”

She announced that government had given approval to procure patrol boats and research vessels to help eradicate illegal activities on the seas. “Until we get a patrol boat to survey on the seas, we can’t eradicate the light fishing,” she said.

Other measures the ministry is taking to address the problem include the provision of fishing nets to fisherfolk, enforcement of land patrols, and a ban on “saiko”, a destructive form of illegal fishing.

“After the close season in September, we have not had any reports of ‘saiko’, so these are some of the things we are doing in response to the EU’s sanction of the yellow card. We are also reviewing the Fisheries Act 2002 (Act 625); it is at stakeholder consultation [and] we will go to cabinet for approval. With regard to the fisheries management

act, we are working on it. We have deposited all these with the EU and the FAO. We have also submitted the marine fisheries management plan to the FAO. We are working on the issues raised by the EU, and I believe in 24 months, we should be able to tackle all these issues.”

According to the Minister, government is taking steps to ensure every landing beach has sufficient pre-mix fuel.

Ghana’s waters have been plagued by illegal fishing for decades. In particular, “saiko” is a severely destructive form of illegal fishing, where industrial trawlers illegally target the staple catch of small-scale canoe fishers and transfer it to specially adapted boats at sea for sale at local markets. The practice is having a severe impact on Ghana’s small

pelagic fish populations, and sardinella is already on the brink of collapse, with landings having crashed by 80% over the past 20 years.

Ghana was first issued with a yellow card by the EU in 2013, and this was lifted in 2015 as a result of new legislation and a clear fisheries management plan.

However, while these policies are well constructed, they have not been implemented or enforced, allowing the situation to deteriorate and leading the European Commission to re-issue a yellow card warning.

It is the second country ever to have been re-carded in this way, and it must now urgently work to eradicate illegal fishing by vessels flying its flag and operating in its waters.

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News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

Non-traditional exports earn US$2.85bn in 2020 Continued from cover of US$2.9bn, according to the latest NTE figures from the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).

The dip in 2020 was largely due to the harsh impact of the coronavirus pandemic on trade and a reflection of the downward trend in the performance of processed and semi-processed products, particularly cocoa butter and canned tuna.

The top 10 leading products of the entire NTE sector and products in the processed, agricultural and arts, and craft subsectors showed increases in performance, with average growths of 24.11 percent, 21.28 percent, 13.49 percent and 472.81 percent respectively, signaling the buoyancy of the exports.

The highest contributing subsector, which is the processed/ semi processed products, accounted for about 83.71 percent of total exports, even though it witnessed a 2.94 percent fall in earnings over that for the previous year.

NTE earnings from the processed/ semi-processed subsector amounted to US$2.3bn in the year under review, down from US$2.45bn in 2019.

The industrial art and craft sub-sector showed up strongly, recording an increase of 110.88 percent over 2019 earnings.

The 2020 performance and the resurgence of the virus pandemic this year put the nation’s ambitious non-traditional exports target in jeopardy.

Ghana’s National Exports Development Strategy (NEDS) seeks to raise up to US$25bn

from non-traditional exports by 2029, to be accompanied by deep structural transformation that positions Ghana as a competitive export-led industrialised economy.

Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, believes the target is still realistic, stating that there would be neither an upward or downward review.

“Our estimates for the NEDS are quite ambitious, but it was borne out of research. We are not going to review it either up or downwards, but we will rather work hard and continue with

our interventions in the exports space,” she emphasised.

According to her, the prudent interventions being deployed towards exports promotion will facilitate the sector’s recovery.

“Everybody is digitising now, so we are looking at different ways of doing things. We will not stick to the traditional ways of doing things and miss out. We need to diversify and explore new opportunities in products such as cannabis and cassava powder and use technology to achieve what we’ve set out to achieve,” she added.

Ghana signs strategic partnership agreement with Guyana Continued from cover the Petroleum and Investment promotion sectors have also been signed on Tuesday in Georgetown, Guyana, at the end of a three-day official visit by the Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The signing of the Framework Agreement, witnessed by the Vice Presidents of Ghana and Guyana, is the culmination of several months of high-level engagements between the two countries, including a threeday official visit to Ghana by the Vice President of Guyana, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, followed a few weeks after, by a three-day visit

by Ghana’s Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Thomas Mbomba, signed the framework agreement on behalf of the Government for Ghana, while Hugh Hilton Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, signed on behalf of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

Mr Mbomba also signed, on behalf of the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, a Memorandum of Understanding

on cooperation in the petroleum sector with the Ministry of Natural Resources of Guyana represented

by Mr. Vickram Bharrat, Minister of Natural Resources, Minister Responsible for Petroleum, while Mr. Alex Dadey, Board Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), signed an MoU on Mutual Cooperation In Investment Promotion with the Guyana Office for Investment, represented by Peter R. Ramsaroop, Chief Investment Officer and CEO, Guyana Office for Foreign and Local Investments.

Among others, the parties to the framework agreement seek to promote co-operation with the objectives of contributing to the development of their resources, by making efforts to ensure that the programmes and projects resulting from the agreement are in accordance

with the policy and development plan in the respective countries, as an additional support to their internal efforts to attain the objectives of social and economic development.

The co-operation includes exchange of information; professional training through programmes of visits, or specialized courses by the granting of scholarships for technical and professional specialization; implementation of joint projects of technical co-operation in areas of mutual interest; exchange of professionals and technicians; supply of equipment and material needed for the implementation of specific projects; and any other form of co- operation to be agreed upon by the two countries.

The agreement is valid for a period of five years and shall be renewed automatically for

successive periods of equal duration unless the Parties mutually agree otherwise or either of them terminates it in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement.

Under the Ppetroleum pact, Ghana’s Petroleum Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources of Guyana agreed to work with each other to achieve areas of collaboration in furtherance of the framework agreement.

The scope of collaboration, they agreed, may be in the areas of legal, fiscal and technical support services, nontechnical support and assistance, and any other petroleum related areas.

Among others, the Petroleum Commission is to use its expertise and resources to support Guyana to develop its national competencies to enable it to efficiently manage the petroleum sector; evaluate and establish future partnership opportunities with the commission and other relevant entities in Ghana to ensure continued collaboration between the two countries; and provide certain consulting and project management services and other activities.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

MTN announces appointment of new Digital and Fintech CTIO

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TN Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Hermann Tischendorf as our Chief Technology & Information Officer for Digital and Fintech.

“We are delighted to have a seasoned executive of Hermann’s calibre joining our growing DigiFin team,” says MTN Group Chief Digital and Fintech Officer Serigne Dioum. “He brings the skills and experience that will accelerate innovative digital and fintech advancements in line with our strategic intent of leading digital solutions for Africa progress.”

Hermann joins from 4Finance Group, where he was Chief Technology Officer. He has 30 years of experience in the financial services sector, where

he has occupied numerous senior roles. Hermann brings a solid track record of success in directing

organisational expansion, digital product development, operations management, IT budget

allocation, as well as mergers and acquisitions.

At MTN, Hermann will bring transformation and disruption to our mobile payment platform and help improve customer engagement, experience, acquisition and loyalty. He will also be responsible for developing new products and services, building the nascent ecosystem and scaling up existing revenue streams.

Hermann holds a Master of Business Administration and a Diploma with Honours from Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Austria and studied Finance & Banking at the Anderson School of Management, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).

His appointment took effect on 1 December 2021.

AZA Finance’s African Women Leadership Programme kick starts this month

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he African Women Leadership Programme launched by AZA Finance, a fintech company, in partnership with Naaw by Beautiful Soul, a digital leadership development platform, has begun its activities earlier this week on Tuesday December 7, 2021.

The programme dubbed ‘Growing Africa’s Future Leaders in Fintech’ is aimed at increasing the percentage of African women in fintech and equipping them with tools to increase their likelihood of reaching high management positions.

The programme will bring together African women who are interested in the fintech sector to mentor, train and coach them.

The nine months training programme will involve activities such as group coaching sessions, group mentoring sessions with Azawatus –a self-coaching exercises– and online challenges.

Monthly activities will include, one group coaching or mentoring session of two hours every first Tuesday of the month, one selfcoaching exercise or a challenge and one 15 minutes online checking in every month on Naaw community platform.

According to a team member at ‘Naaw by Beautiful Soul’, Fatuma Sokona, the training

begun with a coaching session on ‘Navigating the Fintech World as a Woman’. Interested participants can join via this link: https://fr.surveymonkey.com/r/ awlpaza Elizabeth Rossiello, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AZA Finance said: "AZA Finance’s vision is to build a robust pipeline of African women with C-level potential for the fintech industry. As an employer, they are truly dedicated to empower women and aspire to promote women in managerial roles as much as possible.

Given the nature of the industry, AZA is particularly keen on attracting into the programme women with a background in engineering and product management.

It is also interested in data analysis/business intelligence and customer service. These women should have experience in highly dynamic environments (start-up, consultancy) within the technology or financial industries."

She added that her aspiration is to create opportunities for African women to become leaders, not only at AZA Finance but in the fintech industry in general.

"We are building up the pool of

female talents to benefit from this nine-months online programme designed and delivered by leadership and fintech experts that includes training, mentoring and coaching. Find people who are sharing your values, link up with them and stick together, link up with us," she said Sharing her experience with AZA Finance, the Chief Revenue Officer, Meryem Habibi said she was inspired to join AZA because of the value and culture it carries across to grow and build women.

“AZA is taking interest in women's growth and getting everyone involved in decision making which gives the women a sense of belonging as they know their effort is recognized and their contribution to the work output,” she said.

The Head of People Operations at AZA Finance, Premo Ojokojo has also reiterated that AZA is a place of growth, especially for women who are looking forward to growing their career. She however explained that career growth or career success is not always about moving from one level of position to the other but how much the individual has grown, the responsibility taken on, the opportunities presented and how they impact or influence decisions.

“The opportunities here are opened to everyone. The first thing that caught my attention at AZA is that about 50% of the executive teams are women and I believe women are the best managers. Here, we respect the value you are adding to the organizational growth and we give you the platform to be you,” she added.

About AZA Finance AZA Finance is a fintech company founded in Nairobi in 2013 and has since grown from a currency exchange platform to a global financial services firm expert in frontier markets and currencies. AZA’s goal is to empower companies from 115 plus countries to accelerate their operations in frontier markets through better foreign exchange, treasury services, payments, and last-mile settlement.

Naaw by Beautiful Soul Based in Dakar Senegal, Naaw by Beautiful Soul is a digital leadership development platform for women working in organizations through tools like coaching, mentoring, and training. It believes in the ability of women to manage transitions efficiently to bring their skills, abilities, and leadership to shape response-able, inclusive, and supportive societies.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

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News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

Vodafone offers 200% extra data in exciting promo V odafone broadband customers have a lot to look forward to this Christmas, as the CIMG Telecoms Company of the Year introduces another exciting promotion for the festive season.

The initiative nicknamed “2 Moorch Christmas Promo”, will allow active broadband customers to enjoy up to 200% extra data when they top up with a minimum of GHs 100 in addition to their existing monthly package. This is one of the many exciting rewards initiatives Vodafone customers look out for during Christmas.

Customers and organisations on Vodafone’s fixed and fibre broadband services will enjoy 2 Moorch data before, during, and after Christmas.

Commenting on the initiative, the Acting Head of Consumer Fixed Business, Emmanuel Owusu-Acheaw, said, “During the holidays, customers’ data usage increases as they interact with family, friends, and loved ones.

It is certainly a time to give back, and we are empowering them with more data to enable them to connect to the things that matter to them with unrestricted access.

A lot of times, as families gather to bond and have fun together, they will need more data for streaming

their favourite TV shows and programmes, video calls, online shopping, and more, all of which require more data. We are excited that they will enjoy continued access with our ‘2 Moorch Christmas’ promotion.”

The 2 Moorch Christmas

promotion provides broadband customers with a supplementary bundle on top of their primary bundle.

This means that customers can only subscribe to the 2 Moorch bundle if they have an active core bundle.

To subscribe, Vodafone’s fixed broadband customers need only dial *900# on any Vodafone mobile number and follow the prompts. Alternatively, customers can subscribe via the self-care portal at https:// myvodafone.vodafone.com.gh/ home/ or the Fixed Broadband website at https://vodafone.com. gh/personal/broadband-landing/.

Customers can also download MyVodafone App on Google Play or App Store to subscribe.

New customers can visit www. fbb.vodafone.com.gh or any Vodafone Retail Shop to check the availability of the fibre service in their community and subscribe to the ultrafast fibre broadband service.

CNBC to host Bawumia today on Ghana's Digital transformation

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enowned global business news network, CNBC will host the Vice President,

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on its flagship programme, Captains of Industry, today Thursday,

December 9, 2021.

Captains of Industries focuses on industry leaders who have

made tremendous contribution to a field, and the latest edition is expected to elicit detailed responses and insights from the man who is credited with spearheading Ghana's digital transformation.

Ghana is regarded as a leader in the 4th Industrial Revolution on the African continent, after the country’s remarkable progress in its digitization drive in the past five years.

The country’s digitization success is built on a strong foundation of a biometric national identification, digital addressing system and mobile money interoperability.

Government has also digitized many of its products and services, including application of passports, driver license, business registration, among many others.

Dr. Bawumia is expected to shed more light on Ghana's digital journey so far, as well as give insight into the way forward to the global audience and international business community.

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AfCFTA News Briefs

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

Law experts call for reforms to legal education in Ghana and Africa amid AfCFTA

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peakers at an international conference on the future of legal education in Ghana and Africa have called for increased investments towards improving the quality and structure of legal education in tertiary institutions across the continent following the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

The experts also advocated for increased funding for the development of legal education and the establishment of an advisory committee of experts in legal education, to assist the various faculties in adapting legal education to improve quality and structure at the universities.

According to the speakers, Ghana’s robust legal fraternity plays critical and significant roles in promoting its democratic values and respect for human rights and rule of law.

The conference speakers also acknowledged the significance of legal role of legal education and services in the socio-economic growth of Ghana and Africa over the years.

To the Attorney General and

Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, “the law has been deployed to direct socioeconomic and political course of our lives”.

The German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, whose outfit through the GIZ supported the conference, assured that Germany believes in making legal services accessible and useful to the public and expressed his government’s excitement to be part of the conversation of legal reforms.

“This is considered to be really

important in our system; we believe the legal education system should be as open as possible for all class of society regardless of their social background and family background,” he added.

First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Wusu, indicated that for Ghana to remain relevant to the continent, it must reform its legal education.

“Ghana wishes to continue playing a leading role on the African continent. We must think about the rollout each other will be playing in the transformation

African Continent and the world.

The practice of the law has changed significantly in recent years and we must also revolve in the way we train the lawyers of tomorrow.”

He said African legal practice is changing and Ghana must change with it.

“The teaching and learning of the law are beginning to be affected by the digital age, particularly in the wake of covid-19 which has highlighted the need for online platforms as means of instruction and interaction. “ The University of Ghana School of Law has commenced intense discussions on reforming legal education in Ghana under Africa particularly under the new agenda of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

“It is impactful that our school of law here at Legon, continues to provide the best of legal education which prepares our students to compete favorably on the job market both locally and internationally,” said Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice Chancellor of the university.

Legal fraternity upbeat about opportunities in the single continental market

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avid Ofosu- Dorte, Legal Advisor and Managing Partner of AB& David Africa, which was recently crowned Africa’s number one legal firm, believes that all set human discipline on the continent is likely to be affected by the implementation of the AfCFTA. “My estimate is that we will attract at least about 150 to

200 international civil servants relocating in this country. Which school will the children of this people locating here attend? So, you will not export your school, but your school is affected by the fact that international civil servants come here,” he told Single African Market in an interview.

He added: “How does your curriculum help a child of

somebody for example who is relocated to Ghana from Addis Ababa. These are things we ought to be thinking about. So, it does affect everybody. The way we educate lawyers will change.”

Other experts agreed with him that the implementation of the AfCFTA create new opportunities in the legal practice.

Joyce Williams Esq, ArmoohWilliams PLLC & Equity Partners,

USA, shared that: “We do hope that lawyers are looking outside of the areas that they are used to practicing especially new and upcoming Lawyers. Looking at these opportunities, practice areas that they can develop. We need to understand the AfCFTA ourselves as legal practitioners.”

Some of the students from the Ghana school of Law also shared their knowledge about the free continental market.

“Learning about AfCFTA will be good, for a lot of students, and for anybody in any of the African countries. It could be incorporated to a course that we are doing. It would help us to know the various opportunities that exist for someone who may not want to practice in Ghana,” said Maame Serwaa Tuffuor of the University of Ghana.

Another student, Abraham Joojo Afon, added: “One of the benefits that we would get from AfCFTA is that it will push us to have industrialized trade. We are no longer going to account for extractive or materials in their natural state as we normally do.”

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AfCFTA News Briefs

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

Let’s build the right legal expertise for AfCFTA—Prof. Atuguba

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ean of the University of Ghana Integration of free trade across the African continent will be hinged on a robust legal framework and has therefore urged stakeholders within the trade value chain to deepen their knowledge and skill in legal issues pertaining to trade.

In an interview with Single African Market, he said: “The political ideas of integration, the economic function of free trade, are always guided by legal rules.

So, it's not possible to leave out law, legal indicators if you want to have successful integration and successful free trade on the continent.

He added: “It would not work if you go on an agenda, to integrate the continent, without finding out how to integrate legal education and legal services to accord with the agenda of economic and political integration.”

According to Prof. Atuguba, making trade integration work goes beyond lawyers, and called on politicians, administrators and technocrats to deepen their

knowledge about the legal rules of free trade in order to function in their respective domains.

“They don't have to be lawyers, some of them may have to study law additionally, but others just direct practical guidance on the

legal rules that pertain to their work in integration and free trade,” he advised.

The Dean of the University of Ghana Law School said the failure to build the right legal capacity for AfCFTA will be one of the

missing links to the continental integration endeavor and for that matter, there was the need for tertiary institutions to design law curriculum that works for the continent and not just for individual members of the continent.

He said: “Otherwise, integration will not work. We have to start trading lawyers who can function continental and not just for the Ghanaian play, Nigeria has to start training lawyers who can function continentally, and not just on the Nigerian plate.”

To help the situation, Prof Atuguba said faculty was designing new courses for professionals from diverse backgrounds to build their capacity in legal issues.

“We are hoping for example that people from the ministry of trade who are working on issues of free trade and continental integration may want to apply and come to study.

Our master's programs here are designed not only for people with LLB degrees, who will then study for an LLM. We have designed them also for people who have no LLB degrees,” he said.

ECOWAS ministers to hold virtual session on border reopening

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he ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with the West African Health Organization (WAHO) will be organizing a sectoral ministers virtual meeting on the reopening of land borders in the region to facilitate the free movement of persons.

Sectoral ministers in charge

of regional integration, interior, trade, health, transport and finance from member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are therefore scheduled to hold a virtual meeting on 6th December 2021 in order to deliberate on measures to ensure the coordinated, safe, secure and

orderly reopening of borders in the region.

The ministers are expected to validate the report and recommendations made by technical experts which outlined the essential practical modalities to be put in place for the implementation of the ECOWAS COVID-19 directives on hygiene measures for the gradual and coordinated reopening of

borders.

ECOWAS and the West African Economic Monetary Union (WAEMU), through their member states, are committed to the reopening of borders to facilitate the movement of people and goods, and to define measures to revive regional trade and supply chains between member states.

The gradual reopening of the borders already begun by the states, requires good coordination between the States and the land-based actors in charge of border control in order to apply the community texts on the free movement of people and goods in the context of the existing health and security crisis.

It may be recalled that the 59th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government charged the ECOWAS Commission to work with member states and West African Health Organization (WAHO) on the modalities to accelerate the reopening of land borders in a safe manner during the pandemic in line with the agreed ECOWAS Harmonized Guidelines for the Free Movement of People and Goods.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

Johnnie Walker Premieres ‘The Ones Who Keep Walking’ film made by Africans for Africa

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ohnnie Walker, the world's best-selling-Scotch, and Forbes 30 under 30 filmmaker, Amarachi Nwosu premiere their new feature film - The Ones Who Keep Walking which showcases inspiring stories of the creators and collectives who are turning the attention of the world to Africa.

Through never heard stories and in-depth conversations, the documentary reveals how fresh creative energy, sheer determination, and a pioneering spirit is bringing authentic African expression to the world.

The documentary features more than 20 defiantly optimistic voices across Africa including Legendary photographer James Barnor (Ghana), Bose Ogulu AKA Mama Burna (Nigeria) managermother to global superstar and Johnnie Walker partner, Burna Boy, and self-taught artist Nana Danso Awuah-Asante (Ghana).

This new feature film is part of an ongoing global roll-out of the next chapter in their iconic Keep Walking campaign and a followup to the release of The Man

Who Walked Around the World in November 2020.

Additionally, it sets out to explore what the next 200 years of Keep Walking can look like and explores what happens when people can liberate themselves creatively, and the rich vibrant world it creates when there are those freedoms.

Lesego Lebogang Mohale, Category Marketing Manager

(International Premium Spirits &RTDs), Guinness Ghana in her comments to the media said: "At Johnnie Walker, we are always looking to celebrate the stories of those who push the boundaries.

That spirit of defiant optimism and the legacy of Keep Walking - two little words that have been inspiring people across the world for more than 20 years - has never felt more important than they do

just now.”

“We're delighted to have partnered with Amarachi Nwosu to share these incredible stories through The Ones Who Keep Walking. The Ghanaians featured in the documentary are pioneers who have taken bold steps and have inspired others, and we are so proud to take this journey with them,” she added.

Produced by Something™ Originals and a team of 200+ creatives and talent from across Africa, The Ones Who Keep Walking picks up on the closing provocation of The Man Who Walked Around the World - 'what's next?' - to shine a light on those who embody the spirit of Keep Walking and who, on their terms, are forging a bold new direction for their countries, cultures and the World.

The Media-led premiere will be happening in Kumasi to spread the message of ‘The Ones Who’ across multiple walks of life. You can watch the trailer for The Ones Who Keep Walking here: www. theoneswho.film

NSS, UPSA, and Innohub sign MOU on Venture Lab Entrepreneurial Program

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he National Service Secretariat (NSS), the University of Professional Studies (UPSA), Accra, and Innohub; a Business Accelerator that supports small and growing businesses, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to officially commence the UPSA Venture Lab Entrepreneurial Program.

The UPSA Venture Lab Entrepreneurial Program is a venture-building programme that would support graduate entrepreneurs to incubate their business ideas into sustainable startups for a period of 12 months during their National Service period. The Venture Lab sits under the broader UPSA Enterprise and Innovation Center, designed by the UPSA’s Faculty of Management Studies to work with various faculties and external stakeholders to drive a culture of entrepreneurship within the UPSA student body.

In his speech during the signing ceremony, the Pro ViceChancellor of UPSA, Professor

Charles Barnor explained that the aim of the Program is to serve as a catalyst in finding lasting solutions to the unemployment challenge in the country especially with regards to the youth after graduation from the university. He also expressed his appreciation and excitement for the partnership between all the organizations involved, and commended the NSS and Innohub for their support.

Professor Charles Barnor stated, “I would like to applaud the National Service Secretariat for supporting this initiative by posting National Service Personnel to the UPSA Enterprise and Innovation Center to enable them to use their service period to develop and grow their businesses. Let me also applaud all partners, Ghartey and Ghartey, Realtek and particularly, Innohub for providing support to this initiative in the necessary training and coaching to our Service Personnel”.

"We begin this partnership with heightened optimism and

excitement. As we explore issues relating to the growing unemployment rate of our Motherland, entrepreneurship in the uncertain era, amongst many other issues, I implore all of us to actively get involved and make the best out of this opportunity.” the Pro Vice-Chancellor continued.

The Chief Executive Officer of Innohub, Mr. Nelson Madiba Amo, who is also an Advisory Board Member of the UPSA Enterprise and Innovation Center, expressed that Innohub is very pleased to offer business advisory support to the participants of the program to ensure their ideas become a reality. He also relayed that one of the core mandates of Innohub is to support the growth of ventures by young people through capacity development, coaching, business development support and access to funding.

Mr. Nelson Madiba Amo bemoaned the fact that lots of students with fantastic ideas end up forgetting about the ideas right after University as they do not identify the needed support

systems to help them build on it.

He continued "We thought that for those who are very much passionate about their ideas, we will help and support them to launch their idea through the National Service engagement” Innohub’s support to the Venture Lab Entrepreneurial Program among others shall include; support UPSA in the design of the programme structure, support in the recruitment and screening of applicants for the programme, train the young entrepreneurs using the framework and curriculum over the agreed training period, provide business development services to the entrepreneurs, and investormatching support for the investor ready ventures on the programme.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

Shaping Ghana’s innovative future Absa Bank’s NSMQ partnership

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or close to three decades, the National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ) has consistently become a platform for corralling an entire country together. It reflects a strong sense of connection and continues to positively impact the youth in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

As a bank that believes in bringing possibilities to life, Absa’s headline association with the NSMQ brand has also contributed to the overall success of the competition over the years. This year’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable and full of thrills.

From the regional qualifiers to the regional championships and the National Competition, Ghana has witnessed a mixed bag of cheers, laughter, teasing, trolling, celebration and even tears.

Beyond the excitement and euphoria, a bank like Absa views its association with the platform, as a way of empowering and encouraging the general acceptance and practice of STEM education across the country. It is also a way of highlighting the role a bank can play in a society beyond a quest for high performance and profits. Adding to this, Absa Bank

also sees it as a way of supporting students who are able to rise above the challenging moments and make it to the high-noon of the competition.

“We are huge admirers of relentless perseverance and dedication to getting things done.

These are the traits that chime with our Africanacity spirit.

The NSMQ never disappoints.

The competition is fierce and unending.

We are always motivated to continuously associate with this brand and to support the growth and transformation of young talents in STEM education” remarked Nana Essilfuah Tamakloe, Marketing and Corporate Relations Director at Absa Bank Ghana.

As part of its lead sponsorship of the NSMQ this year, Absa Bank Ghana presented cash prizes of GHs40,000 to the overall winner, Prempeh College, and additional prizes of GHs30,000 and GHs20,000 to PRESEC - Legon and Keta SHTS, which placed 2nd and 3rd respectively in line with the Absa Special Awards for Excellence. Additionally, the Absa Money Zone – a stroke of inspiration by the bank – awarded competing schools throughout the quarter-final, semi-final and grand-final stages with various cash prizes.

To ensure a deeper impact on the youth, Absa’s partnership with the NSMQ this year, also included the STEM Festival,

which was designed to give students the opportunity to apply the theories in STEM to solve societal challenges. This was achieved through the SciTech Fair & Innovation Challenge which encouraged the youth to explore and showcase their innovative ideas. The Mentorship sessions of the festival on the, other hand, exposed the youth to various career paths in STEM education.

As the world fully embraces a strong and dynamic technological culture, interspersed with rapid transformation and innovation, STEM education is more critical now than ever.

“We have a huge role to play in ensuring that Ghana takes a dominant place in the global landscape in terms of creativity and innovation. We are key partners with government in national development and our partnership with Primetime and the Ghana Education Service reinforces this. We shall continue to be at the forefront of helping to shape the future of our youth and in promoting Science, Technology and Mathematics.

It is a commitment we do not take lightly at all”, added Nana Essilfuah Tamakloe.

Afri-Plastics Challenge calls for innovative campaigns that change behaviour in plastic waste across Africa

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he final strand of the AfriPlastics Challenge, called Promoting Change and delivered by London-based Nesta Challenges, will begin accepting applications from Wednesday 8 December 2021. This marks the last leg of the Challenge after Strand 1: Accelerating Growth and Strand 2: Creating Solutions were launched in July and October 2021.

Successful applicants for strand 3 will use innovative engagement strategies such as gamification, incentives and storytelling to promote behaviour change and educate communities, as well as provide insights into the roles that women and girls play across the value chain. With the growing risks of inadequate plastic waste management, innovators, startups and established companies in Sub-Saharan Africa have an opportunity to showcase inclusive ideas to respond to

plastic waste management issues through seeking gaps in the innovation landscape that can make a positive difference in both the environment and communities.

Constance Agyeman, Director of International Development, Nesta Challenges said: “Plastic pollution is a terrible and ever-growing threat to the environment and health of subSaharan African communities.

Sustainable consumer choices will make the difference between disaster and success in taking on the millions of tonnes of plastic being dumped, buried and burnt each year across the continent.”

“Not only do we need innovation to minimise the quantity of plastic being produced and to better manage plastic waste after it is used, but key to the long-term success of tackling plastic pollution will be people and the choices they

make – creative communications that shift behaviour and attitudes around plastic use are essential.”

Studies have shown that individual behaviors can have measurable and significant environmental impacts and individuals or organisations that build effective programs that increase the level of environmentally responsible behaviors, such as plastic waste recycling, form an important part of creating positive environmental change. Tactics like altering the size and shape of the openings of containers for things like plastic bottles, and cans can influence recycling behaviors.

In one study, distributing flyers urging shoppers to purchase returnable bottles resulted in a 15% increase of returnable bottle purchases.

It is through this third strand, Promoting Change, that the

Afri-Plastics Challenge hopes to inspire this change. By the end of the challenge, the best solutions will have generated evidence of change in one or more behaviours such as reduced littering, segregation of plastic waste before the recycling process and favouring reusable plastics over single-use plastics.

Joshua Amponsem, Founder of the Green Africa Youth Organization: “With governments across Sub-Saharan Africa urging communities to come together on issues of conservation and sustainability, one of the key actions is to eliminate all singleuse plastics from their countries’ operations, products and supply chain and the first step in doing so is by changing our approach towards consumer packaging and our behaviour around plastic waste.

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News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

New Cancer Centre Opens at Tamale Teaching Hospital …third Speciality Cancer Centre launched this year

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oche, a biotech company has partnered government to launch the new Tamale Teaching Hospital aimed at expanding access to oncology services for the Ghanaian people.

The cancer treatment centre at the Tamale Teaching Hospital is the third new centre launched this year as part of an agreement Roche signed with the Ministry of Health in June to develop infrastructure to deliver cancer care. By expanding oncology services at three new cancer treatment centres, Roche and the Ghana Ministry of Health are advancing their goal of alleviating geographic access barriers to quality cancer care; supporting capacity development and training for health care providers; and supporting awareness creation in communities.

“It’s an honor to open the third cancer centre in Ghana at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

Combined with the centres at the Cape Coast and Ho Teaching Hospitals, I am incredibly hopeful about the positive impact we will see for cancer care in the country and our ability to deliver innovation to patients in the region,” stated Philip Anderson,

General Manager for Roche Ghana.

The cancer care journey for many Ghanians is full of challenges ranging from geographical access barriers to lack of awareness of risk factors and when to seek care. As part of efforts to increase awareness, Roche is providing the Tamale Teaching Hospital with funds to produce awareness materials in local languages.

Dr Kareem Mumuni, CEO of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, said, “Collaboration is essential to reaching the most patients in Ghana. Our partnership

with Roche in addition to our partnerships with local community leaders will allow us to develop tailored solutions to support patients at every stage of their cancer journey.”

Women across Ghana often face an even more challenging cancer journey.

Addressing women’s health and reproductive cancers must be a priority. As of 2020, breast cancer was the most diagnosed cancer both in Ghana and in the world, and the cause of the most cancer-related deaths in females in 2020.

“It is important to adequately

address the healthcare needs of our people especially in the area of cancers that afflict women as this has a potential to adversely affect the country at large especially economically. The cost of this disease on society is immense and needs to be addressed,” said Ambassador Dr. Adu-Gyamfi, a representative of the Honorable Rebecca Naa Okaikor AkufoAddo, First Lady of Ghana, in her speech at the launch.

Roche has long been working to improve oncology care in Ghana and in 2018 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ghana Ministry of Health to conduct disease awareness programmes; increase screening to promote early detection; establish centres of excellence; improve diagnostic facilities at treatment centres; train specialists; develop a national cancer registry to better understand the disease burden; and establish national treatment guidelines. To improve access to innovative breast cancer therapies, Roche also worked with the Ministry of Health and multiple stakeholders to enable public funding of treatment at sustainable access pricing in 2019.

UGBS students participate in Ujima Forum

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ome student representatives from the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) participated in the maiden edition of the Ujima Forums organised by the Business Administration Department of Ashesi University.

The event was themed “Africa!

How do we collectively continue building?”. It took a hybrid format with a 40-member audience present at the venue and others joining the conversation via Zoom.

Ujima is an African concept meaning collective work and responsibility. It looks at how Africans can work together to solve problems and achieve a common goal. The Ujima Forums will be a series of events aimed at addressing challenges confronting Africa, with a particular focus on Ghana, through many lenses.

The forum addresses who we are, our education, socialisation,

governance, and leadership, as well as how to develop the Africa we desire. The panel examined our history as Africans indepth, as well as how it should influence our future actions.

They then discussed the impact of a country's leadership on its growth, emphasising how we may build ourselves as individuals and as a nation to create the Africa we desire.

Mr. Cameron Abbey, President of the UGBS Marketing and Entrepreneurship Students Association (MESA), believes that for Africa to reclaim its former glory, it is necessary to consider the people. He believes that we all have a role to play in restoring Africa's greatness.

Leaders, according to Mr. Abbey, should seek the people's best interests.

“In devising and implementing policies, adequate research should be conducted to figure out

what the citizens need. Also, one sector that needs to be revamped for Africa to flourish is education.

Our educational system should include courses that promote innovation, creativity, and critical thinking. It's also vital that we resist maintaining the status quo.

We must question matters rather than accept them as they are.

Finally, there should be a focus on

entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs should be able to receive funding to help them expand their companies. In the long run, this will boost GDP and make us more self-sufficient”, he added.

Professor Ebenezer Obiri Addo, an Associate Professor at Ashesi University, brought the forum to a close with a summary of the issues discussed.

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News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

Omicron spreads in Africa but severe cases remain low in South Africa

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he Omicron variant is reaching more countries in Africa and weekly COVID-19 cases in the continent surged by 93 percent.

However, there are signs of hope as preliminary data indicates that hospitalizations across South Africa remain low, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa has said.

Africa recorded more than 107,000 cases in the week ending on December 5, 2021, up from around 55,000.

Five countries accounted for 86 percent of the cases reported over the past week and all the subregions in the continent – up from one the previous week – reported increases in new cases.

Southern Africa recorded the highest increase with a 140 percent hike mainly driven by an uptick in South Africa.

Research is being intensified to determine whether Omicron is fuelling the surge in cases seen in Africa. Emerging data from South Africa indicates that Omicron may cause less severe illness.

Data which looked at hospitalizations across South Africa between 14 November and 4 December found that ICU occupancy was only 6.3 % – which is very low compared with the same period when the country was facing the peak linked to the Delta variant in July.

Data from the same two-week period from one of the health districts most impacted by

Omicron found that out of more than 1200 admissions, 98 were receiving supplemental oxygen and only four were on ventilation.

This is very preliminary data with a small sample size and most of the people admitted to the health facilities were under the age of 40. As the clinical profile of patients changes, the impact of Omicron may change.

Africa currently accounts for 46% of the nearly 1000 Omicron cases reported by 57 countries across different regions of the world.

So far, 10 African countries have reported cases. Despite the widespread global presence of Omicron, more than 70 countries have imposed travel bans that are mainly targeting southern African countries – some of which have yet to report any Omicron case.

“With Omicron now present in nearly 60 countries globally, travel bans that mainly target African countries are hard to justify,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “Through the diligent surveillance efforts of African scientists, the new variant of concern was first detected on this continent, but it’s unclear if transmission was taking place silently in other regions. We call for science-based public health measures to counter the spread of COVID-19. The travel restrictions come at the height of the endof-year tourist season, ravaging Africa’s economies, with a knock-

on impact that is potentially devastating to the health of Africans.”

To ramp up the response to the Omicron variant and the rise in cases, WHO is supporting countries to improve genomic surveillance to track the virus and detect other potential variants of concern. In South Africa, a regional genomic sequencing laboratory is supporting 14 southern Africa countries and has significantly scaled up sequencing. In the first half of 2021, southern African countries sequenced only 5500 samples.

They are now sequencing as many every month.

Africa has so far received more than 372 million COVID-19 vaccine doses and administered 248 million. That represents only 3% of the 8.2 billion doses given globally. Although the pace of vaccination has increased in recent months, only 7.8% of Africa’s population is fully vaccinated.

“What we do know is that uneven distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally is creating an ideal environment for COVID-19 variants to emerge and spread explosively and regions with the least access to vaccines seem likely to suffer the most,” said Dr Moeti. “With the end-ofyear travel and festivities upon us, limited vaccination, rising COVID-19 cases and the new variant paint an ominous picture for our region.”

Many African countries have yet

to administer most of their vaccine supplies. Only 10 countries, down from 12 the previous week, have less than 10 doses available per 100 people. Considering vaccines received eight or more weeks ago, 27 countries have used at least 80% of the doses received.

Twenty-three countries have used between 50 and 79%, and two have used less than 50% of doses received.

“Only six of Africa’s 54 countries have reached the global target of vaccinating 40% of their population by the end of this year, leaving millions of people in our region without protection against COVID-19. This is simply dangerous and untenable,” said Dr Richard Mihigo, Immunization and Vaccines Development Programme Coordinator for the WHO Regional Office for Africa.

WHO held a virtual press conference today facilitated by APO Group. The briefing was led

by Dr Mihigo. He was joined by Dr Christian Happi, Professor of Molecular Biology and Genomics and Director of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases at Redeemer's University in Nigeria.

Also on hand to respond to questions were Dr Nicksy Gumede-Moeletsi, Regional Virologist, WHO Regional Office for Africa, and Dr Thierno Balde, Regional COVID-19 Incident Manager, WHO Regional Office for Africa. credit: WHO

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

15

Health

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

Health innovation for all

By Mariana Mazzucato

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espite multiple t e c h n o l o g i c a l breakthroughs in the fight to control COVID-19, twice as many people died from it in 2021 compared to 2020. The Omicron variant is a stark reminder that effective vaccines are merely the first step toward ending the pandemic. Until we establish a process to manufacture vaccines at scale and distribute them where they are needed, we will lack the collective capacity to curb this or any future pandemic.

The shameful inequity in global vaccine distribution shows that we cannot rely on monopolies, commercial imperatives, and charitable efforts alone if we are to achieve the World Health Organization’s goal of “Health for All.” As the WHO’s Independent Panel on Pandemic Preparedness and Response concludes, we need a globally coordinated, end-toend innovation system in which intellectual property (IP) rules and fiscal policies are designed to support collaboration between the public and private sectors. The quantity and quality of financing must be restructured around the overriding goal of delivering essential health technologies as a global common good.

Value in health innovation is created by many participants, including research institutions, corporations, governments, international organizations, philanthropies, scientists, and trial participants. The fruits of this collective labor should not

be exclusively in the hands of pharmaceutical companies whose main priority is to maximize shareholder returns.

This extractive model has prolonged the pandemic and undermined economic recovery.

Value created collectively must be governed collectively. And COVID-19 vaccines should be regarded as “People’s Vaccines,” as many eminent scholars and political leaders have argued.

These vaccines benefited from unprecedented public funding, yet they remain largely under the exclusive control of private monopolies.

A handful of wealthy countries have blocked a widely supported proposal at the World Trade Organization to waive IP protections for pandemic-related technologies, effectively putting the interests of pharmaceutical corporations before global health equity and solidarity. We must ensure that future vaccines against the Omicron variant – developed using genetic sequencing data that South African researchers shared openly – will be accessible to all.

To that end, we cannot continue merely to correct market failures through donations, voluntary sharing mechanisms like the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), or restrictive voluntary licenses. We must go beyond marginal fixes and imagine a new health innovation system, as outlined by the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All. First and foremost, this means addressing current

global inequalities in innovation capabilities and infrastructures by fostering local and regional innovation networks and capacitybuilding efforts that target lowand middle-income countries.

Technology and know-how must be shared to correct for the historic disparities created by the blanket application of IP rights, which has systematically favored those with existing technological capacity. We must promote open science, collective intelligence, and the sharing of public health data, while ensuring information is not used for extractive or disciplinary purposes.

Second, long-term strategic financing must be directed toward building end-to-end health innovation systems governed with the goal of providing common goods. Most health innovation is backed by extensive public investment – either directly or by de-risking private investment – from which the public should benefit. Public funding must come with conditionalities to guarantee wide availability, fair prices, transparency, and technology sharing. And because private finance also plays a critical role in health innovation, conditionalities, regulations, and incentives should be used to forge symbiotic public-private partnerships, and to align private investments with the goal of Health for All. Third, critical health technologies must be considered part of a global commons rather than the exclusive right of private IP monopolies. Patents should

cover only innovations that are fundamentally new and useful. To avoid the privatization of research tools, processes, and technology platforms, patents should focus on downstream inventions, and they should be readily licensable, with commitments to sharing technology and know-how to facilitate follow-on innovation, as patent law originally intended.

These changes call for a thorough revision of patent rules and their application. The current debate about the WTO IP waiver must be seen in this broader context.

Finally, pharmaceutical company boards and investors have a role to play in transforming this broken model. Just as investors demand action on climate change, so, too, can they demand that companies assign high priority to equitable access and broader technology sharing. They can also push for corporate governance models that share value fairly between all stakeholders, not just shareholders. This action could translate into a mandate to focus on public health needs during crises, and to limit or eschew stock buybacks (especially in the case of firms that benefit from publicly funded research).

We are running out of time.

Countering the COVID-19 pandemic and future health crises will require adopting a holistic, global approach to governing health innovation. The goal must be to deliver timely and equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and essential supplies everywhere, not to protect monopoly profits.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

17

Feature

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

Finding purpose in the humanities

By Nicholas Agar

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hese are tough times for the humanities. Too many liberal arts subjects have come to be seen as fusty and irrelevant. Who can afford to invest in a four-year education focusing on the wisdom of the Mayan civilization or the nuances of Japanese poetry? To adapt Churchill’s famous 1939 aphorism about understanding Russia, students today confront a pandemic, wrapped in a technological revolution, inside a climate crisis.

As a proud humanities scholar, I believe that the knowledge my colleagues and I impart is essential to prepare students for future uncertainties. As the past five years have shown, predictions from even our most informed technical experts can easily go awry. The humanities, with their focus on the infinite variety of human experience, offer the best insurance against overconfident forecasters.

But in making the practical case for the humanities – especially when seeking political support – it is not enough to repeat what we know to be true. In Australia, an unsympathetic government has taken aim at the humanities, significantly increasing the cost students pay to study them. The explicit goal is to send a market signal that students’ time is better spent mastering “job-ready” STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects. According to thenMinister of Education Dan Tehan – a not-so-proud humanities graduate – the policy would save students from the kind of education that “nearly cost me the opportunity of getting a job.”

You know there’s a problem when the minister of education starts talking about your courses

the way public-health officials talk about smoking; the idea is to increase the cost of studying history to break students of their unhealthy humanities habit.

How might the humanities be repackaged to appear fresher and more “job-ready” (even for those who reject the idea that the purpose of universities is to churn out productive white-collar workers)? One idea is to abolish the traditional term paper in favor of more effective modes of persuasion and communication.

Since the 1990s, I have noticed a change in students’ attitudes toward the traditional assessment tasks required by humanities courses and majors. Perhaps this reflects the common observation about post-millennials being more “purpose driven” than previous generations, as demonstrated by the students who have demonstrated for stronger gun-control laws in the United States and for stronger climate policies around the world.

Post-millennials are not waiting for their elders’ permission to speak. As Ronald Brownstein of CNN puts it, this is a generation that has “marinated in a world of ubiquitous communication and pervasive social media.”

Its members neither absorb information nor express their views in the same ways as earlier generations did. And these differences extend far beyond mere stylistic details or matters of grammar.

The implication for the humanities disciplines is that they need to embrace new ways to impart their benefits to postmillennials. In an information age, a purpose-driven generation will be hungry for the tools of persuasion, assets that the humanities are well equipped to provide.

Hence, the alternative model of assessment I have chosen for a course I am teaching at Carnegie Mellon University is the standard 700-1,000-word opinion commentary – like the one you are reading now. This model is ideal for student writing in the digital age. Someone who is seeking to persuade a large general readership cannot open with ponderous formulations such as, “In this essay, I will argue that …”

Nor can one get away with prolix, jargon-laden prose. The message must be intellectually serious, but also attuned to what actually attracts readers. To succeed, one must think carefully about one’s argument. (Some results of this educational experiment can be found at a Medium page I’ve created.)

By mastering this mode of communication, post-millennial students would have much to offer the world. They may not be world-class experts or recipients of the Nobel Prize (at least not yet), but they can be taught to leverage other advantages. Back in 2004, David Shipley, then the Op-Ed editor of The New York Times, offered some useful advice about the kinds of commentaries he sought for his section. In response to the question “Does it help to be famous?” He replied, “Not really. In fact, the bar of acceptance gets nudged a little higher for people who have the means to get their message out in other ways.”

A young writer’s commentary will have done its job if it communicates the experience of its author truthfully and effectively. Shipley encourages op-ed writers to focus on voice.

According to a primer from the Harvard Kennedy School, “the range of voice used in columns can be wide: contemplative, conversational, descriptive,

experienced, informative, informed, introspective, observant, plaintive, reportorial, self-effacing, sophisticated, humorous, among many other possibilities.”

This variety taps into the expressive versatility characteristic of post-millennials.

And we need to hear from them, because their outlook is fundamentally different from that of the Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers who currently occupy leadership positions in politics and business. Who benefits when the only audible voices on climate change belong to those who will be long gone before its worst potentialities become manifest?

Addressing problems like climate change or “unaligned” artificial intelligence will require not just technological breakthroughs but also political innovation. It will require debates over incommensurable values and questions of intergenerational justice. Young people, who have the greatest stake in the outcome of these debates, must be equipped to engage in them fully.

In a 2013 cover story, TimeMagazine described millennials rather ungenerously as the “Me Me Me Generation,” channeling the common assumption that young people growing up in the age of social media spend far too much time focusing on themselves and refining their personal brands.

But these young people are the only ones who can relay what it is truly like to be a digital native.

As we explore ways to regulate the new digital economy, that is the kind of testimony we should be seeking. And we need a well-honed, purposedriven humanities curriculum to produce it.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

19

News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

Creative Arts access to finance town hall slated for December 15, 2021

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he Creative Arts Agency, in collaboration with Global Entrepreneurship Network-Ghana (GEN-Ghana), will host the Creative Art Access to Finance Town Hall on Wednesday, December 15, 2021.

The town hall meeting, scheduled to take place at the Conference Room of the Creative Arts Agency begins at 9:45am prompt. With regards to COVID-19 protocols, only a select invitees would be attending in person with majority of attendees participating virtually while Joy FM would broadcast the event live and stream on other social media platforms.

The impressive panel line-up includes Lawrence Agyinsam, CEO, Ghana Exim Bank; David Tetteh, Consultant to Ghana Stock Management Exchange on Listings and New Products; Hannah B. Acquah, Founder/ CEO TKC Africa Ltd (Business and Investment Consulting Firm); and Sewu-Steve Tawia, Investor at Asime Ventures and Accra Angels Network. The panel shall be moderated by Odelia Ntiamoah, Head of Joy Business.

In addition to the panel, there shall be keynote addresses and a questions and answers segment.

The overarching objective of this town is to drive investments from both local and international

investors into the Ghanaian creative art industry. The town hall event will bring together heads of investment funds and financial institutions to connect with established and aspiring creative arts professionals in an interactive format to have a conversation, share information and knowledge on the various access to financial capital options for the creative sector in Ghana.

“We will also use the Town Hall event to create the platform for some of the successful creative art professionals to share their experiences on how they raised capital, the mistakes they made, challenges they faced and how they dealt with those challenges.

The town hall will be climaxed with a Q and A session to give the participants the opportunity to interact with the panellists and special guests,” a statement signed Stephen Gyasi-Kwaw Country Founder/MD, Global Entrepreneurship NetworkGhana (GEN-Ghana) said.

Participants will be informed about the funding/financing options for the creative industries, which will also help them to make informed choices in sourcing for financial capital to start and grow their businesses in the creative arts sector. Register at www.genghana.com/townhall in advance to join virtually via zoom

About GEN-Ghana Global Entrepreneurship Network – Ghana (GEN-Ghana) is an entrepreneurship and innovation advancement organisation that provides and promotes a platform of local, international programs and activities aimed at making it easier for anyone to start and scale a sustainable business.

We work by fostering deeper cross border collaboration and initiatives between entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and entrepreneurial support organisations. We work with government, corporations, NGO’s, development agencies to fuel healthier start and scale

ecosystems that create more jobs, wealth, educate individuals, accelerate innovations for sustainable social and economic impact.

GEN-Ghana is part of Global Entrepreneurship Network which operates in over 160 countries independently, working to build one entrepreneurial ecosystem around the world.

About Creative Arts Agency The Creative Arts Agency is a quasi-self-regulatory government agency that drives the policy framework by an Act of Parliament (Creative Arts Industries Act 1048) for the regulation, development and promotion of the Creative Arts industry in Ghana. The existence of the Agency is to address the many challenges confronted by the industry and implement the policies, plans and programs for the sector.

As an Agency, we are committed to international dialogue and exchange, undertaken in a spirit of solidarity, inclusion, reciprocity, and mutual learning.

The Agency represents plural voices and perspectives made up of industry domains and selected public institutions, unified in the belief that arts and culture are a public good – with the potential to further inclusive social transformation – to be shaped and accessed equitably by all peoples.

Invest in human capital to redefine creative industry – people for science, more creative entrepreneurs entrepreneur but before you GEW panelist training business and humanities; the arts because there are still more do that and be successful, you

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he creative arts sector has the capacity to boost economic growth if more is invested in educating and training upcoming players who have the passion to become a part of the industry, a panel of seasoned experts at the 2021 Global Entrepreneurship Week have said.

Addressing the challenges faced by the sector, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CharterHouse Production West Africa, Theresa Ayoade, noted that the Ghanaian academic curricular is not structured to train and churn out human creativity and that has placed the country in a steep learning curve. She suggested that an early introduction of creative courses in the academic curricular will help solve the problem.

“Our education system is only

are completely missing. Human capital is a big issue for us in the industry and it makes us have a long learning curve, meaning that there are just a few experts in the industry who have gone through training and have that experience and it is the same people that the industry is circulating which really limits us,” she added.

Despite commendable progress made to boost entrepreneurship, she noted that the sector is still faced with underemployment.

“Talking about entrepreneurship, I am quite impressed about the fact that the more the industry develops, the more entrepreneurs are created. When we started our entrepreneurial journey in events, there were no vendors, but I am happy that down the line there are so many event vendors especially in the wedding industry. So, we need

opportunities,” she noted.

Taking his turn, CEO of the International Advertising Association, Joel Nettey said bridging the education gap is crucial for the growth needed in the industry, urging creative actors to make an all-out effort to become competitive and passionate amidst the challenges and also seek apprentice training from different mentors to master their craft as that will make them understand as well as stand out unique in their field.

“There is a huge gap there and if you look at it critically, our relative strength will be more in the creative space and that is where we naturally survive but that’s where the real issues are,” he noted.

“There should be a form of apprentice training. One should always aspire to be an

have to make sure that you walk through the road so whether it is within a big establishment or one-on-one mentorship, make sure you learn, strive to be the very best at what you do,” he added.

On his part, Founder of 3Music, Sadiq Abdulai said young people are being exploited for their creative ideas without any of them being acknowledged and that has driven most young people away from the industry and addressing this, he said, is crucial to the development of the industry.

Director for Chalewote Street Arts Festival, Mantse Aryeequaye has said for an entrepreneurial space to thrive, it will mean that everyone has one rule book that facilitates how players operate and ensures that people are not exploited.

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Markets

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

WEEKLY MARKET REVIEW FOR WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 2, 2021

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

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WEEKLY MARKET REVIEW FOR WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 2, 2021

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BUSINESS24.COM.GH FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

NO. B24 / 284 | NEWS FOR BUSINESS LEADERS

MONDAY MAY 3, 2021

FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2021

First program to generate work opportunities for 60,00 Ghanaian youth

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apitalPlus Exchange (CapPlus) and the Mastercard Foundation have announced the launch of an industrywide collaboration with the Bank of Ghana and the Ghana Microfinance Institution Network (GHAMFIN).

The initiative aims to strengthen financial institutions to enable them to increase lending to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and create work opportunities for 60,000 young Ghanaian women and men.

Dubbed Financial Institution Resilience and Strengthening (FIRST+), the program will build the capacity of players within the financial sector, including savings and loans companies, rural and small business-focused banks, microfinance, and related institutions by addressing underlying challenges that inhibit their lending to MSMEs. The program forms part of the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy that aims to enable three million young people in Ghana to access dignified and fulfilling work opportunities.

In line with the Bank of Ghana’s efforts to strengthen the financial sector, financial institutions participating in the FIRST+ program will receive technical

Gottfried Odamtten-Sowah, Mastercard Foundation's Program Lead, Agro-Processing & Agribusiness

assistance to: expand their lending to small businesses;increase their attractiveness to investors, including linkages to potential sources of capital; and advance their digitization to improve outreach, risk management, and efficiency.

Participating financial institution staff will also benefit from expanded training and skills building provided by GHAMFIN, including Ghana’s Central Bank accredited training for directors and managers of non-bank financial institutions, to enable them to respond better to the needs of MSMEs while boosting their corporate governance structures.

In addition to providing technical assistance to financial sector operators, FIRST+ has

already attracted several impact investors, such as Oikocredit, a Dutch social investor, seeking to provide $20 million to financial sector partners that are committed to scaling finance to benefit youth and women in the agricultural value chain and other impact sectors.

“The power of combining patient capital with technical assistance has always been our preferred approach, and we are delighted to combine forces with the Mastercard Foundation, GHAMFIN, and Oikocredit to contribute to a more resilient financial sector that provides greater opportunities for Ghana’s youth and women,” said Lynn Pikholz, CapPlus’ CEO. “We are excited to bring Oikocredit’s full suite of capital

facilities to financial sector partners in the FIRST+ program.

This partnership enables us to support Ghanaian youth and women while building assets and strengthening women-led businesses. With this program, we are advancing our social impact mission to support Ghana’s agricultural sector, strengthening financial institutions’ operations to provide better digital services and tailored financial products, and increasing access to capital,” said Hans Perk, Oikocredit’s Regional Africa Director.

The FIRST+ program will expand GHAMFIN’s industry building services to approximately 100 member organizations through training and one-on-one coaching for CEOs and senior managers of partner financial institutions. Interested financial sector players can participate in the program by contacting Lynn Pikholz,(lpikholz@capplus.org).

“Accelerating the growth of youth and women-led MSMEs through access to finance and capacity building will stimulate the sector and unlock work opportunities for young Ghanaian women and men especially in the agricultural value chain, fostering economic recovery and prosperity for all,” said Rosy Fynn, Ghana Country Head at the Mastercard Foundation.

GES congratulates 2021 WASSCE candidates

T

he Ghana Education Service (GES) has congratulated candidates of the 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations on their sterling performance following the release of the provisional results.

The provisional results were released on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.

A statement signed by the Head of the Public Relations Unit of the GES, Ms Cassandra Twum Ampofo, indicated that initial analysis of the results showed that more than 50 per cent of the candidates obtained A1-C6 in all core subjects.

The core subjects are Maths, Science, English and Social Studies. “This is an impressive performance. Congratulations to you all,” the statement said.

The GES used the opportunity

to appreciate heads of schools,

teaching and non-teaching staff

for the very good work done.