Business24 Newspaper 15th September, 2021

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WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

Wednesday September 15, 2021

BUSINESS24.COM.GH

NO. B24 / 248 | News for Business Leaders

Celebrating 60 years of MexicoGhana diplomatic relations

Tullow appoints its first deputy managing director

Inside

See page 7

Remittances to Africa projected to decrease in 2021

President Akufo-Addo said Ghana’s economy was rebounding strongly from the dire impact of the pandemic.

Private sector pivotal to industrialisation agenda, Akufo-Addo reaffirms

By Patrick Paintsil p_paintsil@hotmail.com

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resident Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says his government is committed

Top five state-owned employers provided 26,642 jobs in 2019

By Benson Afful affulbenson@gmail.com

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he five biggest employers in the state-owned entities sector provided a

to championing the structural and prosperous country. transformation of the Ghanaian He however added that economy from a producer and the success of this aggressive exporter of raw materials to a industrialisation agenda hinges value-adding and industrialised Cont’d on page 2 one that will ensure a progressive

By Benson Afful affulbenson@gmail.com

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emittances to African countries are expected to decrease by 5.4 percent from US$44bn in 2020 to a projected US$41bn in 2021 due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, says Cont’d on page 3

Gov’t urged to prioritise natural gas for FDI attraction

By Eugene Davis ugendavis@gmail.com

Stephen Asamoah Boateng is the DirectorGeneral of SIGA

combined 26,642 jobs in 2019, the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) has revealed in its latest report.

See page 3

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former Managing Director of JP Morgan Global Financial Markets, Yaw Asamoah, has called on the government to focus on developing natural gas, which he said has the potential to attract massive investments.

He was speaking at a virtual

Yaw Asamoah wants government to focus on clean energy, mainly natural gas, development.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) event on the theme “Achieving the SDGs through Impact Investing: The Critical Role of FDI”.

See page 5

Cont’d on page 2 Cont’d on page 2

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Editorial / News

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

Editorial

Gov’t’s bromance with private sector to drive rapid resurgence

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he relevance of the private sector to the nation’s recovery from the harsh impact of the virus pandemic was aptly confirmed at the inaugural Presidential Business Summit, an initiative of the Office of the President in collaboration with some key ministries and state agencies.

Rightly touted as the engine of growth to every economy, private businesses absorb the chunk of the nation’s employable youth thereby offering wealth and economic prosperity.

Almost all of government’s economic programmes revolve around the private sector hence every single action geared towards the viability of the business space is a welcoming intervention.

This is why the ongoing bromance between government and the private business community must be given the loudest applause.

One key outcome of the two-day summit will be the development of a business compact that will guide policy decisions on the business sector which is quite thoughtful and timely, especially in the times that we find ourselves.

Ghana’s business community is in dire need of structured and workable policies that addresses the core concerns such as access to cheap power and credit, lowered inflation and a stable cedi to say the least.

Luckily, these and many other topical issues, will be well explored and tackled head-on

during the two-day summit.

Enhanced avenues for dialogue and knowledge sharing between policymakers and private entrepreneurs and investors, both local and foreign, are critical steps that can facilitate the creation of an enabling environment for business success.

For a nation that has been hugely affected by the pandemic, adopting the right business strategies with the right incentives to attract investors will be critical to its economic resurgence.

We are therefore delighted about the ongoing bromance between government and the private sector which is geared towards building sound and solid pillars for sustained economic growth.

Private sector pivotal to industrialisation agenda, Akufo-Addo reaffirms Continued from cover

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on a strengthened and solid partnership between the public and private sectors.

Addressing the inaugural Presidential Business Summit in Accra, he said: “Government fully recognises that it is the resilience of the private sector that can guarantee growth, create substantial job opportunities for the youth, and strengthen the nation’s position as the economic powerhouse of West Africa.”

The two-day summit will provide an inclusive platform for open interactions between the public and private sectors on practical issues of interest and will culminate in the development of a business compact that will guide private sector policy.

President Akufo-Addo said Ghana’s economy was rebounding strongly from the dire impact of the pandemic owing to some bold actions that were taken by his administration to stem the risk of recession, mitigate the negative economic impact of the pandemic, and significantly reduce its burden on the population.

“More unflinching support, creativity and fortitude coupled with effective management of the crisis has seen Ghana’s economy outperforming its peers and

President Akufo-Addo addressing the gathering of public and private actors at the summit.

rebounding faster than envisaged.

A strong rebound in growth, low inflation rates as well as a strong reserve position and FDI flows are clear indications of a collective desire to restore the economy to the path of sustained stability and growth,” the president emphasised.

Trade and Industry Minister Alan Kyeremanten, in buttressing the president’s assertions, highlighted the role that the private sector has played so far to shield the economy from the harms of the pandemic, especially through the production of critical

personal care items that are needed to fight the virus.

“The role of the private sector in national development must not be underestimated; therefore, government’s supports to the business community are not favours but rather incentivising them to risk their capital to create jobs and increase income levels of the population.”

Mr. Kyeremanten however tasked the private sector to reciprocate by paying the right taxes and contributing their quota to national development.

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Top five state-owned employers provided 26,642 jobs in 2019 Continued from cover The top five contributors to employment, according to the report, were COCOBOD, Electricity Company of Ghana, Ghana Water Company Limited, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, and Forestry Commission. They employed 7,952; 6,422; 4,622; 4,103; and 3,543 employees respectively in 2019.

SIGA said in the report that 58 out of the 175 specified entities provided employment data for 2019. These entities consisted of 27 Stated-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), 10 Joint Venture Companies ( JVCs), and 21 Other State Entities (OSEs).

In all, the 58 entities employed a total of 56,436 personnel in 2019. The 27 SOEs and 21 OSEs employed total of 28,881 and 15,638 personnel respectively.

The 10 JVCs employed 11,917 personnel.

The report, which analysed the financial performance of stateowned entities between 2015 and 2019, said SOEs posted combined revenue of GH¢28.57bn in 2019,

representing an increase of 18.6 percent over the 2018 revenue of GH¢24.09bn.

Similarly, it said JVCs recorded a 17.4 percent rise in revenue from GH¢38.79bn in 2018 to GH¢45.53bn in 2019.

“SOEs’ direct costs in FY2019 amounted to GH¢20,944.39 million, representing a 19.05 percent increase (GH¢3,351.91 million) over the FY2018 outturn (GH¢17,592.48). JVCs, on the other hand, recorded a 15.38 percent (GH¢4,426.02 million) rise in direct cost from GH¢28,780.40 million in FY2018 to GH¢33,206.42 million in FY2019,” said the report.

“JVCs reported a 31.75 percent (GH¢2,461.69 million) increase in OPEX, rising from GH¢7,753.81 million in FY2018 to GH¢10,215.50 million in FY2019,” it added.

The implication of this increase, according to the report, was a 65.83 percent (GH¢6,934.40 million) decline from gross profit of GH¢10,533.48 million to operating profit of GH¢3,599.08 million in 2019.

It said JVCs’ profitability deteriorated further to a net

loss of GH¢2,341.37 million in 2019 on account of significant losses recorded by the mining (GH¢1,799.85 million) and communications (GH¢1,415.19 million) sectors.

The report said SOEs’ total assets amounted to GH¢137,821.67 million, which indicates an increase of 14.45 percent (GH¢17,399.79 million) over the 2018 outturn of GH¢120,421.88 million.

It noted there was a 21.97 percent (GH¢14,902.96 million) increase in total liabilities from GH¢67,845.92 million in 2018 to GH¢82,748.78 million in 2019.

Notwithstanding the increase

in liabilities, it said SOEs’ net worth increased by 4.75 percent (GH¢2,496.83 million) from GH¢52,576.06 million in 2018 to GH¢55,072.90 million in 2019.

On the other hand, JVCs reported total assets of GH¢80,220.35 million in 2019, indicating a 16.10 percent (GH¢11,124.20 million) improvement over the 2018 position of GH¢69,096.14 million.

There was also a 9.43 percent (GH¢5,336.89 million) increase in total liabilities of JVCs from GH¢56,602.71 million in 2018 to GH¢61,939.60 million in 2019.

The net worth of JVCs at the end of 2019 stood at GH¢18,280.75 million.

Remittances to Africa projected to decrease in 2021 Continued from cover the Continental Migration Report 2021.

The report, titled “African Regional Review of Implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration,” was produced by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC).

It builds from four sub-regional reports compiled by AUC and a summary from stakeholder consultations at the justconcluded 2021 African regional review meeting on the Global Compact for Migration.

Although the Covid-19 pandemic was expected to lead to a decrease in remittances to Africa in 2020, the findings of the report show that by October 2020 remittances to Africa had reached approximately US$78.4bn, constituting 11.7 percent of global remittances.

Remittances have therefore demonstrated greater resilience and reliability as a source of

capital in Africa than foreign direct investment flows.

The report recommends that governments across the world should take effective action to facilitate and boost remittances to support the fight against Covid-19 and ultimately build a more sustainable post-pandemic world The report also revealed that the costs associated with sending remittances to Africa are some of the highest in the world. Until very recently, average transaction costs were equivalent to 8.9 percent of the amount being sent for a remittance payment of US$200.

With respect to the cost of

sending money, the report said Africa is still far from achieving the 3 percent target set out in Sustainable Development Goal 10.

The Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development and Sustainable Development Goal indicator 10(c) provides that countries should, by 2030, reduce to less than 3 percent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 percent.

Remittances are estimated to constitute approximately 65 per cent of the income of some receiving countries and senders

spend an estimated 15 percent of their income on remittances.

For 25 African countries, all of which have large diaspora populations, remittances are the primary source of national income.

In response, a number of African countries have taken action to lower the costs of remittance transfers.

Some countries also offer diaspora bonds to investors and have relaxed foreign exchange controls to allow for electronic and mobile money transfers at reduced costs.

“It should be noted, in that regard, that the use of digital money transfer platforms reduces transfer fees in Africa by an average of 7 percent,” said the report, adding: “Private financial institutions also offer incentives to encourage members of diaspora communities to use their services, including low transaction fees for remittances, and facilitate diaspora-initiated projects, especially in the real estate sector. These measures all promote the financial inclusion of migrants and their families.”

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Vivo Energy launches community digital literacy project in Tamale

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ivo Energy Ghana, the exclusive distributors and marketers of Shellbranded fuels and lubricants in Ghana has launched its ‘Vivo Energy Community Digital Literacy Project’ to increase access to relevant educational content through technology among schoolchildren.

The pilot project is in partnership with Worldreader and the Northern Regional Library Authority and seeks to reinforce schoolchildren’s reading skills and help to mitigate the learning loss caused by the schools’ closure during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana.

Mrs. Shirley Tony Kum, Corporate Communications Manager at Vivo Energy Ghana, speaking at the launch, said the project would promote Sustainable Development Goal 4 which aims at ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education within the implementing area.

She said the project, in its first phase, would reach children in over 25 households within the Tamale Metropolis with ‘BookSmart Tablets’, trained home facilitators, and guided lesson plans to create an enabling environment for reading and

learning for them. Facilitators will also take the opportunity to help sensitize households on the COVID-19 protocols and the risks associated with non-compliance.

“To ensure effective implementation of the project, household facilitators have been trained and will have access to remote support through structured daily lesson plans and book title recommendations for specific targeted outcomes”, she added. Mrs Kum indicated that Vivo Energy was committed to implementing educational initiatives that would have a significant impact on the lives of schoolchildren, especially those in marginalised communities.

“As a company committed to fuelling the growth Ghana, we have, and continue to implement various initiatives across the country to improve literacy rates and prepare a more secure workforce for the country's development. Some of these initiatives include the launch of V-STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to make STEM education more attractive and increase awareness about career opportunities in science and technology, especially among female students,” she said.

Other initiatives include the

training of some Senior High School students in Full-Stack Web Development as a foundation for an Advanced Technical Course at Soronko Academy, Ghana's leading technology and digital skills development centre; the launch of a one-year intensive Graduate Talent Programme at Vivo Energy Ghana for students from various universities with STEM backgrounds; and the handing over of a renovated and furnished five-unit classroom block to the Brengo Presbyterian School in Asanti Mampong.

During the lock-down, Vivo Energy Ghana funded the rollout of an alternative e-learning platform accessible to all senior high school students in partnership with ABCDE Africa and eCampus. The company, also donated 10 brand new HP laptop computers to the Otumfuo Charity Foundation to support this year's Otumfuo Teachers Awards scheme to build the capacity of teachers, especially

those in the rural areas with limited access to resources.

Mr. David Sumbo, a Lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS), who was the Guest Speaker at the event, called for collaboration among stakeholders in the educational sector to ensure appropriate content was available on digital platforms for all categories of readers.

“Technology is a double-edged sword which can be used for good or bad, that is why it is very important to take a critical look at what is available for people to read and help create the right environment for people to read”, he noted.

Mr. Alhassan Abdul-Kahad, Programme Manager at Worldreader, said the Vivo Energy Community Digital Literacy Project would help to improve the literacy rate among the youth and help prepare a more secured workforce that would help to accelerate the country’s development.

Gov’t urged to prioritise natural gas for FDI attraction Continued from cover “One of the things we should be thinking about is how we can probably harness our natural gas.

I think when we talk clean energy, a lot of people think about wind, solar and hydro, but oftentimes natural gas is overlooked; it emits less carbon than oil, it’s a cleaner fuel, [and] investors think of it as a bridge to a cleaner energy future.”

Mr. Asamoah added that natural gas presents an opportunity to investors to help fund some of the infrastructure—such as pipelines, storage facilities and distribution systems—that can harness the gas to fuel industrialisation, manufacturing and electricity generation.

“I think that is where we should focus on about clean energy in order to meet the objectives of the SDGs,” he told the virtual audience.

Solomon Asamoah, the Managing Director of the Ghana

Development of natural gas is said to be critical to attract investors.

Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), said the country has to endeavour to bridge the infrastructural deficit in a sustainable and clean way, with more focus on the quality of life of the citizenry.

“What I see is that there are increasingly large amounts of funds available for such

infrastructure. Government has to play a significant role in making sure the environment is conducive to attract that financing,” he said.

He also added: “We need to improve the resilience of the infrastructure and [address] the negative effects of climate change. The DFIs [Development Finance Institutions] want

more renewables. There is huge opportunity to increase our renewables, particularly solar and wind, and that will be a large opportunity to attract financiers.”

The Head of Programs, AgroProcessing and Agribusiness at Mastercard Foundation, Gottfried Odamtten-Sowah, said his organisation was working to unlock close to 3m jobs by the end of 2030, with sustainable agriculture being the strategy for Ghana.

Dr. Eugene Owusu, the Special Advisor to the President on the SDGs, said the solutions and experiences proposed by the experts will be leveraged by the government as it seeks to maximise financing for the SDGs, driven by the business opportunities inherent in the goals.

The event was organised by the SDGs Advocacy Unit under the auspices of President Akufo-Addo, co-chair of the SDG Advocates.

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Paying taxes must become regular features of our lives - Akufo-Addo

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resident Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the only things Ghanaians have not made part and parcel of their lives, since the coming into force of the 4th Republican dispensation, is to make taxes regular, predictable parts of their lives.

According to President AkufoAddo, “our tax-to-GDP ratio of 14.3% compares unfavourably with our peers the world over.

The average tax-to-GDP ratio in West Africa stands at 18%, and, indeed, the recommended ratio for ECOWAS Member States is at least 20%. The average for OECD countries is 34%.”

It is no wonder, the President indicated, that American, German, French, Japanese and British peoples, amongst others, can readily find the means to fund their own development, particularly their infrastructural development, whereas we are constantly struggling to do the same.

“There is, therefore, an urgent need to enhance significantly our domestic revenue mobilisation capability to realise our development potential, create opportunities for our vibrant and dynamic youth, and deliver improved livelihoods for our fellow citizens,” he added.

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Monday, [September 13, 2021], in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, when he delivered the keynote address at the 2021

Bar Conference of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA).

Addressing the gathering, the President noted that the necessity for increased mobilisation of resources for national development is crucial, especially as there are critical needs in all sectors in all parts of the country.

“Not too far from where we are gathered, torrential rains have caused havoc and washed away bridges and roads. Farms have been destroyed and investments have disappeared under flood waters. These are just new additions to an already difficult situation of a long list of infrastructural deficits that require a lot of money for their elimination,” he said.

The President continued, “COVID-19 has brought extra devastation to our fragile economies, and we have not seen the end of it to be able to say we can start counting our losses.

The only certainty we do have is that we need a lot of resources to engender the rebuilding of the economy. Hence, the exceptional significance of Government’s

Ghana CARES ‘Obaatampa’ Programme, which is seeking to raise GH¢100 billion from both public and private sectors to finance the revitalisation of our post-COVID economy.”

He was, thus, glad that the Ghana Bar Association has decided to enlist the undoubted strength of lawyers to help in the mobilization of resources through taxation, adding that “we have work to do to convince the people of Ghana that, if we are to get the developments that we all crave, then paying taxes must become a regular and unquestioning feature of our lives.”

With the theme of the Conference being “Ensuring an Increase in Revenue Mobilization through Taxation for the Purpose of Accelerated National Development”, President Akufo-Addo urged the outgoing President of the Bar, Anthony Forson Jnr, to start from getting members of the Bar to pay their taxes.

“The record of lawyers in paying taxes has been historically poor. It is unfortunate, but a most

unpleasant fact, that members of the professions in our country have not been known to set a good example when it comes to paying taxes. They appear to think that being members of the learned professions put them above complying with every day civic duties, like paying taxes. It is embarrassing that lawyers are often at the top of the list of those who flout our tax laws, and use their expertise to avoid paying taxes,” he stressed.

Following the recent exposé by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to the effect that some sixty thousand (60,000) professionals working in the country, including lawyers, accountants, doctors, engineers, surveyors, architects, do not pay taxes, the President was hopeful that persons evading taxes move swiftly to regularise their tax affairs before the GRA moves to crack the whip.

President Akufo-Addo indicated that, prior to coming office to 2017, only a small proportion of the population, i.e., some seven hundred and fifty thousand (750,000) people, was registered

by GRA with Tax Identification Numbers (TINs).

“As a result of the effective rollout of the National Identification Card, spearheaded by one of our own, the ebullient Ken Attafuah, which has been integrated with GRA to form the TIN number, we now have a taxable population of some 15.5 million people in just four (4) years,” he added.

Tullow appoints its first deputy managing director

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ullow Ghana has announced the appointment of Mrs. Cynthia Lumor as Deputy Managing Director, effective 1st October 2021. Mrs. Lumor is the first to be appointed as Deputy Managing Director of Tullow Ghana since it began operations in 2006.

Commenting on her appointment, Chief Executive Officer of Tullow, Rahul Dhir said: “I am delighted that Cynthia has been appointed to this important role. Since Wissam assumed office last year, Cynthia has been instrumental in managing our key government and external relationships in Ghana and her promotion reflects her important role in delivering Tullow’s strategy in Ghana.”

Prior to her appointment as Deputy Managing Director, Mrs. Cynthia Lumor served on the leadership team of Tullow Ghana and was Director for Corporate

Affairs with responsibility for External Affairs and Social Performance, and oversight of Human Resources, Information Systems and Facilities Management. She joined Tullow Ghana in 2017 from Scancom Ltd (MTN Ghana) where she was

Corporate Services Executive.

Mrs. Lumor has several years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry, having previously worked for the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation as Principal Legal Officer.

As Deputy Managing Director,

Mrs. Lumor will be responsible for the integration of the nontechnical functions within the Ghana business and will continue to support MD Wissam Al Monthiry in driving Tullow’s plans to invest over $4 billion in Ghana over the next 10 years.

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AfCFTA Secretariat signs landmark agreement with UK

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he African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)with the United Kingdom (UK) government to formalise shared commitment to the success of the agreement.

The UK High Commission in Accra said Mr. James Duddridge, the UK Minister for Africa, joined Mr. Wamkele Mene, SecretaryGeneral of the AfCFTA Secretariat, to sign the MoU at the secretariat’s headquarters in Accra.

Mr. Mene, said: “We are pleased to sign this MoU as it ushers us into a partnership for strengthening cooperation related to trade facilitation in Africa.

The AfCFTA is a continentwide integration project that is built on the intellectual labour of African thinkers, dreamers and negotiators across generations, who imagined and put in place the economic foundation on which a united, integrated and prosperous Africa will be built.

"We welcome all friends and allies that are willing to support an integration process that is led

by Africa for Africans.”

Mr. Duddridge said: “The UK is the first non-African nation to recognise the opportunities for trade and investment the landmark Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement offers, not just

across the continent but globally.

“Today we formalise our commitment to this agreement as I joined Secretary General Wamkele Mene at the AfCFTA's Headquarters in Accra to sign a Memorandum of Understanding setting out our shared ambition.”

The high commission said Africa’s long-term success mattered to the UK and that it was in the interest of all to support a strong, prosperous and peaceful Africa – driven by its own citizens and acting as a dynamic force in the international arena.

It reiterated that during the signing, Mr Duddridge expressed the UK’s commitment

to partnering African nations and institutions to support the implementation of the AfCFTA. It said AfCFTA was the African Union’s most ambitious economic initiative and that the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) estimated that AfCFTA had the potential to boost intra-African trade by more than 50 percent.

It noted that the agreement had the potential to drive further growth across the continent through sustainable industrialisation, generating jobs and prosperity and reducing poverty.

It said the MoU, signed between the UK and the AfCFTA

Secretariat, set out the framework for the partnership between AfCFTA Secretariat and the UK government and that it would promote and facilitate future trade and investment opportunities across the continent.

In addition, it would support the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement across African nations, and continue to strengthen trading links between the UK and countries across Africa.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena, UK Minister for International Trade, speaking from London, said: “Stronger trade and investment partnerships with Africa will be crucial to help us build back better from the pandemic- and establish cleaner, greener, more resilient economies.

“Trade is the route to prosperity for countries around the globe.

"The Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement is one of world’s largest free trade areas and this deal shows our commitment to boosting bilateral trade and investment, leading to sustainable economic growth across the continent.”

The high commission said during his visit, Mr Duddridge also met with Mr Mene to discuss the progress that the AfCFTA made since the last meeting in January 2021, and the Secretariat’s ambitious future plans.

Maura K. Leary to join ACET as Director of Communications

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he African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) is proud to announce the appointment of Maura K. Leary to the position of Director of Communications.

Maura will oversee ACET’s internal and external communications, working with all departments to refine and strengthen ACET’s messaging, engagement, and advocacy strategies. Reporting to the Executive Vice President, Maura will ensure that the institution’s analysis and advice are widely understood and readily available to stakeholders in Africa and around the world to influence policy and accelerate economic transformation.

“This is a critical moment for African countries and the transformation agenda,” said ACET President and Founder K.Y. Amoako. “Designing and implementing sound strategies for long- term, inclusive growth that improves lives is at the

core of what we do. Maura will guarantee that the right people are getting the right knowledge at the right time. She brings invaluable experience, expertise, and passion to ACET, and I am thrilled for her to join our growing organization.”

Maura comes to ACET after 10 years at the World Bank, where she has developed impactful communications strategies that address risks and advance key policy positions, with a strong focus on thought leadership, economic progress, and stakeholder engagement.

Since 2019 she has been the Senior External Affairs Officer responsible for economic issues in Sub- Saharan Africa. In 2020 she served as Acting Manager for the World Bank’s Africa External Affairs team, implementing a dynamic communications and engagement strategy and leading a team of professionals across the African continent and in Washington, DC. She previously advised the

World Bank’s Chief Executive Officer on communications, risk, and engagement, and prior to that she managed strategic communications and outreach on poverty reduction, equity, and inequality as the Communications Lead for the World Bank’s Poverty and Equity Global Practice. She began her career at the World Bank as a partnerships and communications specialist on the Gender and Development team.

Before joining the World Bank in March 2011, she worked at George Washington University and Tufts University managing

academic programs in the United States and France for high school, university, graduate, and adult students.

Maura is fluent in English and French. She holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, and a B.A. in French from Connecticut College.

“I am thrilled to join Africa’s preeminent policy institution and to help ensure that communications and engagement go hand in hand with expert analysis and policy advice for greater impact,” said Maura. “ACET incubates and promotes African-driven solutions and thought leadership; those ideas and recommendations will be even more crucial to countries’ transformation efforts during and in the aftermath of the COVID19 pandemic. I look forward to contributing to this important agenda for Africa.”

She will join ACET officially on September 20.

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GEA CEO honored at Made in Ghana Awards

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he Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Mrs Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, has been adjudged the Best Female CEO of the Year at the 2021 Made in Ghana Awards (MiGA).

According to the organisers of the awards, the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana, Mrs YankeyAyeh, has and continues to play an important role in empowering the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The outstanding oversight of the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme Business Support Scheme (CAP BuSS) was key in stabilising the economy during the peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic, a move that has been globally acknowledged as a blueprint for economies with a large informal sector.

It was no surprise when the GEA was mentioned as a key institution in the implementation of the ongoing Obaatanpa CARES programme meant to provide relief to local businesses.

Through her effort the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI) was elevated into a bigger entity called GEA meant to coordinate, monitor

and implement the activities of MSMEs. The GEA replaced the NBSSI, which has been in operation for more than 30 years, providing financial and non-financial support to small-scale enterprises.

Mrs Yankey-Ayeh upon receiving the award said she was motivated to even do more for the informal sector which is undoubtedly the nerve of the economy.

“I am grateful, but this is just

the beginning, there is more work to do. Thank you for this motivation and the reminder that the work we do is critical to the survival of the economy.

“We are poised to do even more and ensure that we build multinational companies from our MSMEs. It is possible and we have always been ready for the task,” Mrs Yankey-Ayeh said The Made in Ghana Awards 2021 recognises the tireless journey, hard work, outstanding

achievements and vision of Ghanaian manufacturing industry, business and entrepreneurial success.

It is a celebration of the most outstanding indigenous businesses, tourism, arts and culture, and the exceptional manufacturing industries behind these successful and growing industries. It is the springboard to enhanced business and manufacturing success.

Invest in Africa and Tullow collaborate to deliver Financial Readiness Programme for suppliers Speaking on the potential

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nvest in Africa (IIA), a not-forprofit organisation focused on growing local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across sub-Saharan Africa, has been selected by Tullow Ghana Limited to implement its recently launched Financial Readiness Programme.

The Financial Readiness Programme is an eight-month

programme, launched in August 2021, with the goal of assisting suppliers in the oil and gas industry to build financially resilient and sustainable businesses for the future.

IIA will provide selected suppliers with financial tool kits that will enhance their interactions with lending institutions and offer 150 SMEs

access to various funding options, as well as insights into financial restructuring opportunities.

Alongside hosting workshops, IIA will offer more tailored, one-to-one business advisory support to Tullow Ghana’s larger suppliers. These will be delivered on the back of a successful track record of similar interventions led by IIA.

impact of the programme, IIA Ghana’s Country Director Carol Annang said: “In many ways, the pandemic has reshaped how we conduct business. Its ramifications on financing for Ghanaian SMEs may be felt many years down the line, so even though this programme has a short-term outlook, its overall contribution to these SMEs will be much longer lasting.

This is something both IIA and Tullow Ghana can appreciate, given our shared commitment to strengthening local supply chains.”

Wissam Al Monthiry, Managing Director of Tullow Ghana, on his part, said “As a company, the development of local capacity for participation in the oil and gas industry remains our priority.

Central to developing local participation, is the ability of our local supply chain to remain financially resilient to continue participating in delivering oil and gas services to our operations. This Financial Readiness programme will add to our goal of ensuring a financially stable supplier base that is globally competitive”.

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Leadership of GITFIC visits Togolese trade negotiator at Lome

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he Leadership of the Ghana International Trade and Finance Conference

(GITFIC) has called on Mr. Batchassi Katchali, the Togolese Chief Trade Negotiator in the

Ministry of Commerce (Trade) in Lome, the Togolese capital.

The visit which formed part

of the six-nation scheduled visits was to brief him on the subregional dialogues of the GITFIC and its partners.

Mr. Selassi Koffi Ackom, Chief Executive Officer of the GITFIC, said they would be visiting Banjul, Abidjan, Freetown, Abuja and Dakar, adding that their visit to Togo was to give Mr Katchali and his team first-hand information on the modalities for our upcoming breakfast dialogues on the AfCFTA and the Pan African Payment and Settlement Systems (PAPSS).

“Gauging the acceptability, sensitization and descending credible information on the PAPSS and exposing the various Business Communities in these Countries in a joint dialogue forum is what this Regional Dialogue is all about".

Mr. Ackom said they would be sharing experiences and knowledge and building formidable fronts going forward to other stakeholders.

Vodafone’s mobile financial service celebrates 50m customers across Africa

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-Pesa, Vodafone’s mobile financial services, has reached 50 million monthly active customers, cementing its position as Africa’s largest fintech platform.

The mobile money service, which was launched more than 14 years ago in Kenya, M-Pesa is available in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, as well as in Egypt and Ghana as Vodafone Cash.

The number of active M-Pesa customers has doubled in the past five years. The milestone also comes just 18 months after Safaricom and Vodacom launched the M-Pesa Africa joint venture to accelerate growth of the service across the continent. M-Pesa Africa has been delivering digital platforms as part of its focus to be the largest fintech and digital ecosystem across the continent.

M-Pesa became an even more important platform for customers during the pandemic with transaction volumes increasing 44% year-on-year in the first quarter of the current financial year. The number of transactions grew to 4.5 billion in the quarter – with a total transaction value of €63 billion.

Commenting on this milestone,

Patricia Obo-Nai, CEO of Vodafone Ghana, said: ‘We are excited because this milestone affirms that we are impacting more lives and businesses whilst liberalising the mobile money platform to embrace all. In Ghana we have also seen a seismic shift in the sheer volume and frequency of monetary movement across networks as a result of our complete removal of transaction charges on money transferred to any network via Vodafone Cash. This bold step has broadly expanded digital financial inclusion and brought immense financial and economic relief to our individual consumers as well as business clients.

Vodafone Cash is known for its secure mobile money platform and leadership in innovative financial products. Vodafone Cash continues to emphasize its commitment to playing an integral role in the country becoming a cash-lite society through its numerous Vodafone Cash interventions.

In 2007, Safaricom and Vodafone launched M-Pesa in Kenya as a way for customers to instantly send money to each other. For many customers, the service became their first and often only access to financial services propelling its fast growth and adoption across the country.

Consequently, the service has largely contributed to the growth

of formal financial inclusion across the continent. In Kenya, access to financial services and products has increased by around 56% between 20062019 driven by the availability of mobile money1. M-Pesa has also been credited with lifting roughly 2% of Kenyan households out of extreme poverty 2.

Today M-Pesa is a two-sided network that provides a wide variety of financial services to both businesses and individual customers. Customers can send and receive money, make and receive business payments, pay bills, make and receive international money transfers, save and access credit, all from the convenience of their mobile phones and wherever they may be in the countries served, utilising more than 500,000 M-Pesa agents.

Into the future, the service has been investing in new technologies and partnerships as it seeks to deepen financial health amongst its customers through products that encourage savings and lending, wealth management, and insurance. M-Pesa has equally expanded its partnerships in an aim to boost remittances which empower customers to send and receive money across more than 200 countries and territories.

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Energy

Egbert Faibille calls for collective efforts to ensure compliance with local content directives

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he CEO of the Petroleum Commission, Mr. Egbert Faibille Jnr. has urged the leadership of the Ghana Oil and Gas Service Providers Association (GOGSPA) to support the Commission’s local content development efforts in the industry.

He made this statement during a courtesy call earlier this week by the Executives of GOGSPA to congratulate him on his reappointment as Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of the Petroleum Commission for a second term.

At the meeting, both parties discussed the strides that some companies had made to promote local content in the industry. He however raised concerns about non-compliance to local content regulations and directives by some members of the association.

“Based on a familiarisation visit undertaken some months ago, it’s been quite disappointing to observe that some members of the GOGSPA are not supporting government’s efforts to develop local content in the industry. As an association, GOGSPA needs to advise its members to comply with government’s directives to build an industry that encourages local participation,” said Mr.

Faibille.

In addition, the Director, Local Content at the Commission, Mr. Kwaku Boatengacknowledged GOGSPA’s efforts to support local content development in the industry but encouraged the association to put in more efforts to call non-complying members to order.

“GOGSPA has been a resourceful partner over the years. As a trade association,

you have a role to play to ensure compliance in developing local content,” he said. “The Commission has generally been quite lenient with non-complying members; going forward we may have to change that strategy to ensure compliance with local content directives,” he added.

In response, leader of the delegation and Executive Secretary of GOGSPA, Mr.

Nuetey Adzeman thanked the Commission for the support offered over the years and assured that measures will be put in place to support local content development.

The two parties agreed to organise seminars to clarify the Commission’s expectations from industry players on joint venture arrangements, state of insurance(s) in the industry and local content developments.

Petroleum Commission rolls out training for 150 graduates

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bout 150 graduates from diverse technical fields have been admitted to undergo technical skills training in furtherance of government’s Accelerated Oil and Gas Capacity (AOGC) programme.

The AOGC programme which is spearheaded by the Petroleum Commission, aims to develop the

requisite technical skills for the country’s upstream oil & gas and other extractive industries, and also serves as a major boost for the country’s draft localization policy.

The beneficiaries would be trained at the Takoradi Technical University (TTU), at an estimated cost of one million dollars.

The AOGC programme was established in 2017 with the prime intention of enhancing the capacity of Ghanaians to enable them access opportunities in the country's oil sector.

The trainees would train as process technicians, mechanical technicians, instrumentation, and electrical technicians among

others relevant to the extractive industry.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, Mr. Egbert Faibille Jnr advised the 150 beneficiaries of the Accelerated Oil and Gas Capacity Building Programme (AOGC) to take their training serious and give off their best during the programme.

“We want you to be a part of government’s success story in the oil and gas industry. Whether we tell a good or bad story depends on your performance,” he noted.

He said this yesterday during the orientation of the beneficiaries towards their six- month hands-on training in mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and process engineering at the Takoradi Technical University (TTU).

Mr. Faibille Jnr. further stated that the trainees must be careful not to break the rules stipulated in their bonds because the penalty would be for their guarantors to refund the money invested in the training.

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OSWAL Investment Group Limited is ‘Best Innovative Construction Company of the Year 2020/2021

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SWAL Investment Group Ltd, the first Ghanaian company constructing a flyover at Adjirigano, near East Legon, in Accra, has been adjudged the ‘Best Innovative Construction Company of the Year 2020/2021, at the just ended Ghana Construction Industry Excellence Awards.

The Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry, organisers of the award also cited notable projects including the reconstruction of Aviation Road at Adenta, reconstruction of the Otano Junction to School Junction Road into a dual carriageway, rehabilitation of Accra Boundary Road Extension as other projects of excellence worthy of recognition.

Mr. Humphrey AwuleteyWilliams, the Group Chairman of OSWAL Investment Limited Group Ltd, shirk off competition from other road construction companies to grasp the coveted award the ceremony which took place in Accra.

OSWAL investment Group Ltd has steadily established itself

as a construction company of choice after the company’s timely and quality delivery of key road networks awarded to it by the government.

Projects that won the award The citation to the Award read, “The Ghana Chamber of

Construction Industry confirms that OSWAL Investment Group Limited is a trusted Construction Company with the required capabilities to deliver within schedule and in line with accepted World Class Standards for Safety, Innovation and sustainability.

“Evidently, your ability to produce the first kind of Architectural Design that contribute” to the modern Art of Engineering is testament of your unique potential and drive for the Construction Industry in Ghana and beyond.

“The Chamber is most proud of having you as an inspiration to the young and upcoming Contractors within the industry.

“In recognition of your outstanding performance in the Construction, Management and General Contracting for National and International Clients within the Construction Industry, the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry and its Partners Congratulate you on been accorded the ‘Best Innovative Construction Company of the Year Award”.

Hot water - the unsung hero of our everyday living

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he uses of hot water cannot be overestimated in our daily lives, from therapeutic to recreational purposes, hot water remains indispensable and quintessential to everyday living.

The Japanese practise a water therapy which stipulates the drinking of warm water first thing in the morning and 45 minutes before any meal, this, they claim this is essential to eliminating toxins from the body, losing unhealthy weight and generally staying healthy. Hot water also improves digestion, relieves congestion and aids relaxation. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that Japan emerged the fourth healthiest country in the world in a poll conducted on CBS News in 2019.

In Africa, hot boiling water is popular as a means of extracting medicines from plants and herbs as a curative remedy for fevers.

The steam bath is a modern adaptation of the African method of sitting bent over a boiling pot of herb- immersed hot water, enclosed in thick blankets. These steam baths are beneficial to cardiovascular health, they help improve blood circulation and they also promote healing of

broken skin tissue.

Modern medical science posits that drinking hot water helps to break down food faster and reduces the risk of constipation.

Detoxification is another benefit of drinking or bathing with hot water as the increased temperature causes sweating which expels toxins and helps clean the pores.

Modern medicine terms hot water a vasodilator meaning that it expands the blood vessels to improve blood circulation.

A study published in 2003 found that switching from drinking cold water to hot water could increase weight loss and that steam baths serve to improve sinus health while drinking hot water helps mucous move more quickly. Taking a warm shower before bed has proven to help transition the body from an active mode into relaxation and sleep because it helps the natural thermoregulation process; signalling to the brain that it is time to sleep.

When mixed with coffee and teas, hot water has many benefits.

Research published in 2017 linked hot coffee consumption to a longer life. Other research has found a link between moderate

hot coffee consumption and a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, some liver disease and heart health problems. Hot teas may also reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and liver disease. Studies have also linked the consumption of a hot cup of water to reduced stress and anxiety levels.

In the case of a baby or infant, it is usually important to use warm water for a bath because it offers a new sensation. Babies or young children need to be poured warm water over their bodies frequently to keep them warm.

However, one must ensure that the temperature of the warm

water for babies does not exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid burns which could lead to surgery.

Geriatric medicine also believes in the benefits of warm water for the ageing population. Buoyancy allows for senior citizens to have lighter mass in a pool of warm water disallowing pressure on the joints and encouraging painless and stress-free exercises, also warm water is known to improve body awareness, trunk stability and balance while promoting muscle relaxation for the elderly.

Warm water therapy pools also help to improve balance for senior citizens thereby dispelling the fear of falling, it promotes painfree exercise and weight loss, it helps faster rehabilitation from various surgeries or injuries and reduces joint pain from arthritis, fibromyalgia or other chronic pain issues.

In these ways and more, hot water is truly beneficial and quintessential to our everyday lives. All you need do as an individual is to invest your money in buying Ariston water heater as it offers quality that can protect your family health. So don’t settle for less, buy the Ariston products for your family and home.

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Celebrating 60 years of Mexico-Ghana diplomatic relations

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H. E. Ambassador Enrique Escorza Dear friends, 60 years ago, Mexico presented a very important proposal to the considera-tion of the Ghanaian government as a response to an ongoing discussion among our Permanent Representatives in the United Nations. I quote: The Governments of Mexico and Ghana, wishing to promote the friendship between the two countries and to promote mutually beneficial exchanges have resolved to establish diplomatic relations at Embassy level.

The Government of Mexico has granted its consent to the designation of Mr. Alex Quaison Sackey as Ambassador of Ghana in our country and will soon designate a person that, with the same rank, will represent Mexico in Ghana.

If the Government of Ghana agrees, this declaration will be pulished simul-taneously in the newspapers of Mexico City and Accra the coming 8 of Au-gust 1961.” End quote.

With this declaration, the governments of Mexico and Ghana expressed a conviction: to jumpstart a unique relationship not only among nations, but among cultures aspiring to know more about each other.

That moment underpinned the commencement of a fruitful dialogue be-tween the proud people of two nations separated by an ocean, but united through the bonds of history.

The establishment of diplomatic relations with Ghana had a special mean-ing for Mexico.

We found in Ghana a new and a vigorous nation that also expressed loud and clear the importance of international cooperation to boost national dev-

el-opment.

We found a new voice that expressed its unwavering commitment with a rule-based order, with respect of sovereignty, selfdetermination and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

We found in Ghana our new brothers and sisters.

Today we are proud to say that Mexico and Ghana have been able to build a steady, prosperous, and constructive foundation for our relationship after six decades of hard work and dedication.

We are gathered here today to remember and to honour that joyful moment.

The Embassy of Mexico and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana embarked on a creative journey to find the best possible way to express the strength that unite

both countries.

We wanted to do so by creating a very distinctive image. Not just two flags and a number. We wanted to express what we are as unique nations. Not an easy task I must say.

Mexico and Ghana stand proudly on the global stage. We both share a unique heritage, deep roots and values. It is through our people that we thrive, that we become closer despite of the geographical distance. It is through the resilience of our people that we prevail even in adversity.

It is with this in mind, that we designed a logo for our Anniversary as a trib-ute to the contribution of our people to enrichment of the bilateral relation. The logo you are about to see embodies two astonishing representations of the creativity that characterizes our two countries: the Mexican Huichol pat-terns and the beauty of the Ghanaian Kente.

The design combines the number 60 -for the number of years of the rela-tion- with the infinity symbol. We wanted to express that this are the initial sixty years of an endless relation, one that will evolve and will become stronger and stronger over time.

Our textiles, our art, our people, our countries weaving strong ties and ready to move forward to develop a strategic relation is what motivate us to celebrate this day but also the days to come.

Throughout the year, we will be presenting in Ghana different activities that will reflect on our historic achievements, our similarities, our passions and our promising future.

When President Andres Manuel López Obrador honoured me to become the new Ambassador of Mexico in Ghana he in-

structed me to reiterate to His Ex-cellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, the desire to take our relationship to a new level. We sincerely hope that this complex scenario posed by the COVID-19 pandemia does not inter-fere with the desire to see our two great leaders steering our relationship to higher grounds and more productive levels of cooperation.

This is a good moment to kindly ask you Honorable Deputy Minister to con-vey our sincere gratitude to His Excellency President Akufo- Addo and to the Honorable Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchey, our gratitude for their commitment and dedication to the relationship. They are our true champions in moving our relationship forward and we thank them sincerely for that.

You can rest assured we will not stop in being as creative as possible to ex-plore new ways for collaboration. We will not leave any stone unturned.

Let me conclude by citing an old African proverb that says: Hold a true friend with two hands. Mexico not only embrace with its hands but also with its heart the friendship that binds us inextricably with Ghana. We see the fu-ture with optimism, with the certainty that the best years of our friendship are yet to come.

Happy 60

Anniversary Mexico - Ghana!

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Mexico and Ghana getting closer through its people

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Alejandra Salazar Ponce de León. Head of Consular and Cultural Affairs

s we have stated before, culture and social expressions bring us together around the world. It is through our people and their mutual experiences that we manage to come up with vibrant exchanges between countries, even if the geographical location represents a challenge.

Last year, we stressed on the importance of learning about African heritage in Mexico, in order to continue with this effort, on this occasion we want to highlight this mission through its people, through Mexican and Ghanaian voices.

Mexico and Ghana share multiple values. History has shown us there have been complex chapters in the transition of what defines us today. From ancient civilizations, colonization processes, independence up to modernization and globalization, we have

both faced various challenges. Today we stand proudly in the world concert ready to participate more actively.

On the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Mexico and Ghana, we want to address the binational link through its people. This is why we are honoured to count on the collaboration of different voices from Mexico and Ghana.

Meet Dr. Benedicta Lomotey, Senior Lecturer (Spanish Section) at the University of Ghana as well as Professor Adriana Franco Silva, from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Both will share with us their approach regarding the diplomatic relations between our countries.

Readers will also find two significant stories from individuals who literally crossed the ocean to attain personal goals in Mexi-

co and Ghana respectively proving once again that our diasporas bring us strength as nations.

From the bilateral relation as a subject of study to the testimonial from members of our respective diasporas, we invite you to join us in this significant celebration.

It has been 60 years so far, let’s keep learning from each other.

Upcoming activities We want you to be part of this 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Mexico and Ghana. Follow us on social media to find the details of our upcoming events which will include:

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Consular Affairs: An important stage of “new normality” T

he assistance to our nationals abroad represents one of our main tasks as Foreign Service. As it has been shown, the whole humanity could be easily targeted by worldwide threats such as a pandemic.

These are the kind of challenges that demand the best of our capacities in order to avoid risk and fulfil our duties.

After going through repatriation duties last year followed by a period of home-office where technology had been maximized, we found ourselves in this new normality where zoom became

our new best friend and face masks our safe outfit and smiles shared though our eyes.

With the aim to fight the virus, at the Embassy of Mexico in Ghana, health protocols have been implemented with good results. All of our services are going on as normal, we even have been processing more applications than before COVID-19 following strict adherence to health protocols.

Visas applications and legalization of documents are our most requested services. In this regard, we would like to use

this opportunity to alert readers about a serious scam detected at the Consular Section of this Embassy. Fake online services have been created for visa applications. The Embassy of Mexico in Ghana does not require online payments, the only valid documents are issued directly at the Embassy premises, be careful with the information you share on line. The following web sites have been detected as scams: https://www.mexicofmm.com https://ivisa.com

We at the Embassy of Mexico in Ghana want you to know we will always be glad to meet someone with an interest in our country.

Feel free to ask for travel information, visa application process, cultural activities or any other topic with the letters M-E-X-I-C-O on it. We are here to serve. *Alejandra Salazar Ponce de León Head of Consular and Cultural Affairs Embassy of Mexico in Ghana asalazarp@sre.gob.mx

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OPINION

Ghana and Mexico Relations Adriana Franco Silva (Prof.)

The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart Kwama Nkrumah

K

wame Nkrumah is undoubtedly one of the most admired African men in Mexico. For Mexicans who dedicate themselves to African studies, Nkrumah is a reference for the analysis of the continent. A

man worth knowing his his-tory and thought. A man that invites us to learn more about Ghana and its people. Forty-two years have passed since his death, but he is still present for Mexican African studies. He is remembered for

his fight against imperial forc-es, recognizing human dignity, and creating imaginaries that propose a world that connects us all. Nkrumah wanted the unity of Africa. Actually, he is also one of the best-known Pan-Africanist leaders in this space of the Earth.

Ghana was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain its independence in 1957. For its part, Mexico was the early Latin American state to recognise it. As a matter of fact, during the 1960s, both countries opened embassies to strengthen relations.

However, in the subsequent decades, both were closed. Notwithstanding, Ghana-Mexico relations are historical, and recently we have gotten closer. In 2014, Mexico opened an embassy in Accra to bring our governments and people closer (SRE, 2018, p. 43.

Varela, Celorio y Mabire, 2019, p.

947). The Ghanaian and Mexican governments have collaborated mainly on investment and trade, predominantly because Ghana is the second-largest economy of West Africa. Besides, it is an entrance to the Economic Community of West African States and Africa in general (Gobierno de México, 2016). Mexico is also important because of its economic presence and its proximity to the United States. Nonetheless, the reinforcement of these relations must transcend the economic topic.

Art and culture are characteristic expressions of Ghanaian and Mexican polit-ical systems (Hess, 2001). Since Nkrumah era, culture was perceived as an el-ement to strengthen the nation. Both in Mexico and Ghana, culture is diverse and rich. Therefore, artistic, social, gastronomic, and musical exchanges will allow us to build bridges to bring our people closer together. To improve the relations between these two countries, it is also necessary to generate hori-zontal links. For Mexicans, in general, Africa is a little-known continent, and much of what is acknowledged is shrouded in stereotypes.

Notwithstanding,

Ghana and Mexico are not as different as people might think.

Diplomacy and academy have worked to change the narratives that Mexi-cans have about Africa. However, we should identify other strategies to con-nect with people. Cultural and artistic expressions are central to this. For ex-ample, literature is a cultural object which transmits and lets people know other persons, memories, experiences, territories, and stories. Cultural objects acquired significance through cosmovision (or cosmo-senses, as argued by Oyeronke), which is fundamental to transforming social relations (Schwab, 1984, p.

454).

Going back to literature, in the last years, women have reappropriated this space which for many years has been masculine. In Mexico, when we read universal literature, we generally read European male writers. However, we should also get closer to the cultural objects of Africa to understand and re-construct our history. Yaa Gyasi, one of the youngest Ghanaian-American writers, has written two novels. Both are translated into Spanish. So, from Mexico, we can come and read their texts.

Her first novel, Homegoing, is an excellent material to understanding part of Ghana's history and the people who were forced to come to America. Even though she describes the long-running history of Africans and Afro-Americans, the story resonates in Mexi-co too.

In Mexico, there are many Afro-Mexicans. However, it was not until 2015 that the Intercensal Survey of the country acknowledged them. The great majori-ty of Afro-Mexicans are located in Guerrero, Oaxaca and Veracruz, at the south of the country (Gobierno de México & Inmujeres). Probably, many of these people arrived in Mexico many years ago, leaving Ghana, then Gold Coast. With this, I am not assuming that they were Ghanaians. Nevertheless,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 this shows that the relations between our territories and people are even old-er than we thought.

Therefore, we need to know more about our history and culture to improve our relations. We have many things in common, and we can better understand ourselves each other by knowing our histories and recognising ourselves each other through empathy and respect. *Adriana Franco Silva. Professor at the International Relations Center, Na-tional Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Member of the Latin-American Observatory of Geopolitics.

Specialist in African Studies.

University Program of Asia and African Studies in Mexico City. afrasi.16e@gmail.com References Gobierno de México & Inmu-

jeres. Datos de la Población Afrodescendiente en México. https:// www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/199489/Datos_INEGI_poblacio_n_afromexicana.pdf Gyasi, Y. (2016). Volver a casa.

Barcelona: Salamandra.

Hess, J. (2001). Exhibiting Ghana: Display, Documentary and “National” Art in Nkrumah Era. African Studies Review, 44(1),

On the 60th Anniversary of Ghana-Mexico Bilateral Relations Benedicta A. Lomotey (Dr.)

O

ver the centuries, language and communication have served as the key that opens doors to several successful individuals while offering numerous per-sonal, social and business opportunities.

This makes the ability to speak any language, especially international languages, an invaluable resource. The Spanish language

is currently the fourth most spoken language worldwide and the highest population of Spanish speakers can be found in Mexico. This in turn makes Mexico a landmine of opportunities since it is a prominent Latin American nation and strategic ties with the country can indeed offer signifi-cant socioeconomic benefits.

In addition to these socioec-

pp. 59-71.

Oyèrónké, O.(2017). La invención de las mujeres. Una perspectiva africana sobre los discursos occidentales del género.

Bogotá: Editorial en la frontera.

Schwab, G. (1984). Genesis of the subject, Imaginary Functions, and Poetic Languages. New Literary History, 15(3).

SER (2018). Memoria documen-

tal 2012-2018. Acciones de Política Exterior en África, Medio Oriente y Asia Central: Profundización y Diversificación. Dirección General para África y Medio Oriente.

Varela, H. Celorio, G y Mabire, B. (2019). Entre el discurso oficial y la realidad. Foro Internacional, 59(3-4), pp. 933-958.

onomic benefits, Mexico is a multi-ethnic and multilingual country with a rich patrimony of cultural values that have over the years attracted tourists and made it one of the topmost sites of tourist visits - their music, literary and film productions, food, the Spanish language and other cultural values as well as the political stability are elements that reflect the colour and warmth that make it a much longed for destination for people of all walks of life. Mexico also has a historical cultural bond with Gha-na (and Africa as a whole) due to the connecting points in our cultures, i.e., as a result of the movement of Africans to Latin America during the slave trade. These details make the country the home of many, and the word Mexico has become synonymous with attraction, passion, and inclusion.

Given the longstanding ties between Ghana and Mexico and the significant benefits of the bilateral relations for both societies, it is necessary to highlight what both countries have to offer in order to reveal the treasures which, un-fortunately, are yet to be explored exponentially. This is the objective of my ongoing research that seeks to retrace the history of Ghana-Mexico bilateral relations as well as to unearth and underscore the existing economic, politi-cal, educational, and social opportunities that students of Spanish, business-men, politicians and the general Mexican and Ghanaian public could take ad-vantage of.

Indeed, Ghana and Mexico have enjoyed a long-standing

diplomatic relation-ship of precisely 60 years. On this occasion of the 60th anniversary, there is a cause to celebrate our accomplishments so far. Our realization of strong po-litical ties, evidenced by the bilateral visits that have occurred over the years; our achievements in commercial issues such as the establishment of some Mexican companies in Ghana and the ongoing nixtamalization project; and our attainment of cultural cooperation such as the collaboration between Ghanaian and Mexican artistes are significant successes that we should be proud of.

That notwithstanding, stronger ties can be accomplished between both countries and there are greater benefits that can be reaped by both so-cieties once the available opportunities are discovered and harnessed.

Given Ghana and Mexico’s affinities in democracy, political stability, and cultural values, we are but sister countries on different continents. Mexico has a lot to offer to Ghana just as Ghana has several business opportunities that can be explored by Mexicans. The celebration of this 60th anniversary should signal a welcome to Mexicans all around the world and mark the beginning of a new era of discovery and stronger ties. **Dr Benedicta A. Lomotey is Senior Lecturer, Spanish Section, University of Ghana. Department of Modern Languages. balomotey@ug.edu.gh

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A glance at our treasured diaspora*

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s it has always been, society is the live voice of every country. Every individual or collective action taken has a significant impact on how each nation is defined.

Social movements such as immigration have a key role in those definitions.

According to the 2020 census performed by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI in Spanish) 2, 576, 213

Mexicans defined themselves as afrodecendants. This means there are more than 2 million stories about African heritage in Mexico. We should not just listen to these stories but truly embrace them as part of a strong shared ties.

On the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Mexico and Ghana, we want to hear directly from those who have expe-

rienced the journey between these two “distant” countries, those who have accepted the challenge of the promising but unknown future by involving themselves and their families in an adventure across the ocean.

We invite you to know the story of Kamel, born and raised in Kumasi and now a Mexican citizen or that of Sharon, an incredible young Mexican woman who decided to begin professional pro-

jects in Accra.

Those are treasured testimonials full of lessons for both countries. The more we know about each other the more we can reach mutual benefits.

Let’s go! *Alejandra Salazar Ponce de León Head of Consular and Cultural Affairs

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About Kamel Ibrahim. Ghanaian / Mexican. Business man When and how was the first time you heard about Mexico? What did you imagine?

I knew very little about Mexico before I travelled there. I knew only what I saw in movies. Cowboy hats and horses Tell us about the moment you decided to leave Ghana, why Mexico?

I had an NGO called Worldwide exchange programme for Students (WEPS). I founded it in 1999 when I was in high school. It was during the initial stages of the internet in Ghana. The internet wasn’t popular in Ghana yet.

I had a lot of emails from all over the globe to do exchange programs with them. Most of the organizations were situated in the USA and were very demanding.

I was a student back then and couldn’t meet their requirements.

Financially it was tough.

Finally, an organization called CASA DE LOS AMIGOS from Mexico City wrote to us inviting us to Mexico to do voluntary work with them for 2 weeks as part of their cultural exchange program.

I looked at the proximity with the USA and decided to go. My initial idea was to go for the voluntary program with CASA DE LOS AMIGOS then find my way to the USA after the program.

The program was for 2 weeks and the plans was to go to the USA after that to raise some capital then come back to Ghana and build an office for my NGO so as to meet the requirements necessary to operate.

How was the journey to Mexico? Do you remember what you thought before landing? Were you afraid?

I communicated with the Embassy of Mexico in Morocco and sent my passport to them via FEDEX. I received a 20 days visa to Mexico. I was very happy. All flights to Mexico at that time required a transit visa so I tried the German Embassy. I was denied a German transit visa and so I decided to use Air france which departed from Abidjan not Accra. I took a transit visa from the French Embassy in Abidjan (this time I was successful).

I wasn’t afraid but I didn’t know what to expect. I left Ghana at the age of 20 with only 100usd and a bag full of dreams. I didn’t speak any Spanish at all and didn’t know what the future held for me. The

first Spanish I heard on board AEROMEXICO from Paris to Mexico City was “BIENVENIDO” and “gracias”. I only imagined what they meant.

How were your first days? What year did you arrive? Which city did you come to?

If my memory serves me right, I arrived at Mexico on the 22nd of August 2002, the same day my visa was supposed to expire.

Truth be told, I was very very scared. I taught I will be deported for not having enough money and arriving on an almost expired visa.

My experience at the airport with the Immigration officer was awesome. I remember I was wearing a kente shirt with black trousers. It was my first live contact with a Mexican. As soon as I walked up to him, he smiled and asked AFRICANO? I assumed he meant AFRICAN? I replied yes and he said “en serio” I didn’t know what that meant so I smiled and shook my shoulders.

He called his colleague next to him and said “AFRICANO”. I heard BIENVENIDO for the second time from him. I remember him saying “BIENVENIDO A MEXICO” as he stamped my passport.

you. They ask you a lot of questions about your country. People invited me to their homes to meet their families and they invited me to eat all the time.

Now that I have travelled the world a little, I can safely say that I haven’t met any people with sense of humour so good than the Mexicans.

How did you learn Spanish? It was difficult? What is your favourite word or phrase in Spanish?

Now you have children born in Mexico, what do you tell them about Ghana?

How did you decide to apply for your naturalization as a Mexican?

What do you find in Mexico that reminds you of Ghana? Do you already know how to cook Jollof in Mexico?

TORTAS because it was the first food I found near where I stayed.

Thank God it was there because I loved it. It was delicious.

What did your initial activities consist of? What were your livelihoods?

What went through your mind when you received your Mexican passport?

I was teaching English to primary school students. We rotated among schools. There were other volunteers from different parts of the world at CASA DE LOS AMIGOS. Japanese, Americans, Europeans etc.

It was fun because after we came back to the house, we sat down at the living room to talk about our various countries. I enjoyed it.

I was very very happy. I felt like I was finally a part of the great culture and nation I admired a lot.

How did you decide to start your own business in Mexico? Tell us about your company.

Except for Teaching English on and off in Mexico, I have always owned my business in Mexico. Internet café, buying and selling of used cars, language school, selling African arts and crafts, laptop and cell phone accessory shop etc.

For me, owning a business in Mexico is far more rewarding that looking for an employment. It is very easy to own and operate a business in Mexico than in most places thanks to the government and system.

What did you find in Mexico that inspired you to stay?

The people and the food. The people are very friendly. Everybody was nice to me. The Mexican hospitality is next to none.

They were curious in the beginning and they try to get to know

I will say about 40 families. Most Ghanaians who stayed in Mexico were transiting to the USA but as they give themselves the opportunity to know Mexico, they give up their American dreams and take up the Mexican dream.

They fall in love with the country and decide to stay. Cupid does his thing later and bam!! lol

Spanish was difficult but easy at the same time because I was there. Everything was written in Spanish and everyone spoke to you in Spanish.

I stayed with a Mexican family for about 2 years and that helped my Spanish a lot. There was a girl my age at the house who use to correct me whenever I said something wrong in Spanish. She was my Spanish teacher and sister.

She used to laugh at me then say “no se dice asi, guey” hahaha My favourite words in Spanish are.. excelente,¿entonces?,órale, chingón etc.

After staying in Mexico for 3 years, I was convinced that besides Ghana, there was no other place on earth I would rather be than Mexico. And I already had a son called in Mexico so I knew I was grounded in Mexico for life.

So, I started the naturalization process.

What was the first Mexican food you tried and what did you think of it?

Approximately how many Ghanaians in Mexico do you know?

What do you consider to be their main reason for being there?

They love to listen to my childhood stories and how I was brought up. They ask so many questions about Ghana and how it’s different from Mexico. My eldest son always dreamt about having his high school education in Ghana. He wanted the experience but English was always the impediment. I use to take him to Belize which was closer so he can have a little feel of what Ghana and people of Ghana looks like.

Quiet a good question.. I haven’t really laid my eyes on any similarity yet except for their love for colours. Ghana and Mexico are two worlds apart who needs to come together to share more on culture and commerce. There is so much both countries can do together to improve and better each other. Mexico and Ghana have a lot of collaboration to do and a lot to learn from each other.

What has been the main challenge in these almost 20 years living in Mexico?

In the beginning it was the language and cultural differences which I was gradually able to overcome.

The second I will say is the lack of significant presence of Ghana in Mexico. The Ghanaian population in Mexico is very low so we find it very difficult to put up Ghanaian related businesses.

Also, the lack of a Ghanaian Embassy in Mexico is also a challenge.

Exporting from Mexico to Ghana and vice versa is something I will certainly love to do but it’s almost impossible due to

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trade agreements between both countries (I don’t even think there is any) What plans do you have in the short, medium and long term?

Set up a business in both countries so I get to enjoy both.

Promote tourism and cultural exchange between Ghana and Mexico

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Keep being the unofficial voice for both nations while I keep praying to see a better relationship and collaboration among the two countries very soon. fter all these years, what does Mexico mean to you?

Oops..

Mexico means everything to me. Thanks to Mexico and the Mexican people I have

had a better shot in Mexico than I would have in my own birth land.

Mexico takes you in and treat you like one of its own irrespective of race, religion and beliefs.

I speak so much about Mexico that everybody I know wants to visit Mexico before they die.

My friends and family even support Mexico in sports because of me. They Know what Mexico means to me.

People now know something about Mexico because of me.

Many people add Mexico to my name before I am identified. www.stuweps.com COMO MEXICO, NO HAY DOS. ¡VIVA MEXICO! ¡VIVA GHANA!

About Sharon Santiago. Mexican entrepreneur woman What are the similarities that you find between Mexico and Ghana?

The similarities there are some good and bad ones, like the fact that there is a lot of trash in some areas or beaches and there is still a lot to learn as a society just like in Mexico. But there’s also good things like the food and the fact that people love eating spicy, maybe even more.

What would you say Mexico can learn from Ghana?

Do you remember the first time you heard about Ghana? Did you know exactly its location?

I do, was through a friend from Mexico. First, I worked for him at a Restaurant in Holbox, later we became friends and he used to play a lot of Afrobeats and talk about the years he spent in Accra.

What was the first thing you imagined when you heard about Ghana?

I thought it was a big city. The descriptions I heard made me think it was a very developed city in comparison to the typical image you have in your head when you know nothing about African countries from first hand.

What motivated you to come to Ghana and settle here?

My main motivation came from wanting to experience life and work in a different country, so far, I only knew Mexico. The stories and experience of my friend made me curious about Ghana and gave a sort of comfort to know he had spent very happy years here, so I felt safe to come by myself and I knew it was a great opportunity to learn and grow professionally.

How would you describe a Mexican woman living in West Africa?

I think Mexican woman are adaptable and strong, no matter where you come from in Mexico, so living in Ghana is not a challenge in the way o woman would stress about it. We know how to talk to people and also how to respect different cultures and at the same time show our value and help others grow by sharing what we have learned in our country and with our families.

1. What do you find in Ghana that reminds you of Mexico?

The people in Ghana… they’re friendly and curious when seeing people from abroad and that reminds me of Mexicans. The weather is very similar to my region, is humid and we are used to having a lot of mosquitos too so when I got here, I found that very curious. The fact that the beach is very near also reminds me of home in Mérida, Mexico.

What do you enjoy the most about your days in Ghana?

I enjoy the days when I get to learn new words in the local dialects. I like exploring new places in nature like the waterfalls and I like visiting markets and watching of most things are made by hand.

I really enjoy learning all Ghanaian things related to art and crafts.

I think the happy spirit from Ghanaians is something to learn. I like the tradition around funerals and how is seen as a celebration of life, although it can be sad for them there is more to it than just wearing black and being silent.

I think is beautiful to see people wearing bright colours and using their best garments for this special occasion.

After three years of experiences in Ghana, what would you say has changed in Sharon?

After 2.5 years in Ghana, I have learned to be more patient with others and with myself. Things work differently and the only way to advance is to adapt but also when it comes to having a position of responsibility, I had to

learn new ways to express myself and lead. From my initial experience working in hospitality in Accra I learned and I changed my plans, being here made me see a bit more clearly what I want to do, how I want to move forward with my professional life and be braver, so I guess it has been a big personal change.

What comes next for you? Tell us about your brand.

I recently started working on my own business, so far is an online store called CHICATANAGH (can be found on Instagram only for now) where I promote my crafts. I’m starting by doing pieces of Macramé which is a type of knitting with the hands and Dreamcatchers. I’m trying to focus on using materials I can find in Ghana and playing with them to make them unique, like using homemade organic materials to dye the textiles and using wood and roots from local stores in the streets, also I want to include the use of some beads and other details made in Ghana. In the next months I will also focus on importing a few typical products from my region in Mexico like Hammocks that are very different than the ones you could find here. @CHICATANAGH

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Visit Mexico and grow experiences* Mexico is one of the world’s favorite tourist destinations, not only for its history, traditions, culture, the warmth of its people and delicious cuisine, but also for the beauty and variety of located throughout its entire territory. It depends entirely on what you want to experience….

Sun&Sea Surrounded by exuberant nature, Pueblos Mágicos (Magical Towns) and archaeological sites, each beach has something special to offer for all tastes and budgets.

Such is the case of the iconic beaches of the Caribbean Sea that

Archaeological Sites Mexico cannot be conceived without the greatness of its pre-Hispanic cul-tures, which have shaped its history, culture and traditions.

Every part of the country is proof of the profound influence

are characterized by turquoise blue waters, ideal for swimming or snorkeling like those of Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

In the Sea of Cortés you will find beaches that have desert landscapes and are home to a large number of marine species, which makes them suitable for sport fishing and water sports, an

of these ancient civilizations that once inhabited our territory.

At the north between deserts, dunes and mountains there are areas such as Vallecito in Baja California, where you will find cave paintings, or others like Paquimé in Chihuahua and its ceremonial mounds.

example of this is Los Cabos.

If you are looking for options with more moderate waves and more relaxing experiences, the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico such as those of Veracruz are the way to go.

On the other hand, surfers and lovers of strong emotions make the beaches of the Pacific their

In the center of the country between valleys, lakes and forests there are ves-tiges of civilizations such as the Purépecha in Michoacán and the Toltecas in Tula Hidalgo.

The Estado de México is home to Teotihuacán with its imposing pyramids of the sun and the

favorite destination, such is the case of the beaches of Oaxaca Whether your travel plan is to relax in an all-inclusive hotel by the sea, get in contact with nature or simply discover new destinations, the beaches of Mexico have everything for you to experience the best holiday. moon; other sites found in the state are Malinalco, Huaman-go and San Miguel Ixtapan to mention a few.

In Mexico City, the Templo Mayor is a place where time stands still, between the buildings and streets of the great city, as well as the sites of Tlatelolco, Mixcoac and Cuicuilco.

To the south, the jungle still holds great secrets to discover.

Among the great remains that have been found are Tajín, in Veracruz, Comalcalco and La Venta in Tabasco, and Palenque in Chiapas.

Of course, there are also the great Mayan cities found in the Yucatan Penin-sula such as Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, Tulum and Cobá.

So far, there are approximately 193 archaeological sites distributed through-out the country.

However, it is believed that there are many that remain hid-den in the jungle or under the asphalt of the big cities.

Be inspired by the great heritage of these extraordinary cultures and discover Mexico through their teachings.

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Feel the magic The cultural, historical, architectural and gastronomic value of Mexico's destinations is as huge as its territory.

The Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town) designation is awarded to those communities that over time have maintained their original architecture, traditions, history and culture. As well as to those that have been of great relevance to the country’s history.

The Pueblos Mágicos (Magi-

WEDNESDAY, 15TH SEPTEMBER, 2021

cal Towns) are defined as places with great symbolism and legends, they are towns whose historical importance has been fundamental for the development of history and that enhance the national identity in each of its spots. These places have a special magic that connects the visitor with our roots and traditions.

With exceptional beauty, these are destinations that will most definitely captivate you.

Currently throughout the territory there are 132 Pueblos

Mágicos (Magical Towns), whose attractions generate great admiration among both domestic and foreign visitors from all around the world.

You could visit Palenque in Chiapas, Real de Catorce in San Luis Potosí, Taxco in Guerrero, among many others.

These destinations will enchant you with the beauty of their natural landscapes, the incredible precision of their constructions -most of them in the Baroque style- this is the per-

fect combination of their Prehispanic past and miscegenation process. You will learn about ancient civilizations, whose essence remains to this day. You will get to know the work of artisans, whose mastery is passed from generation to generation, and you will delight yourself in the fusion of flavors, which are product of ancient techniques and European influence. *Tourism section by VisitMexico.co

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Celebrating 60 years of Mexico-Ghana diplomatic relations WEDNESDAY, 15TH SEPTEMBER, 2021

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Ground-breaking AI research - New tech rival human coaches

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he benefits of coaching, helping individuals and organisations to achieve their goals, are out of reach for many, due to high costs and scarcity of skilled coaches – but new research showing the effectiveness of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) coach called Vici is set to change that and democratise the business of coaching.

A 10-month study at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) found that the chatbot Vici, available free for download, which deploys evidence-backed coaching strategies to interact with users, helped people to achieve their goals at double the rate of a control group attempting to reach their goals on their own.

And the “pleasantly surprising” finding of a follow-up study was that Vici was just as effective as human coaches, said study leader Dr Nicky Terblanche, head of the MPhil Management Coaching programme at USB. The team are currently piloting the AI coach amongst a group of unemployed youths in South Africa to measure whether the new technology can assist young people in reaching their goals relating to either improving their prospects of employment or attaining a job.

Dr Terblanche’s research findings represent a groundbreaking study in the effectiveness of AI in coaching as they are the first to track the development and testing of an AI chatbot-coach that is scientifically designed based on research findings on what makes human coaching most effective.

The chatbot is called “Vici” after the Latin phrase “Veni, Vidi, Vici”, commonly attributed to Julius Caesar, meaning “I came, I saw, I conquered”. Vici (www. coachvici.com) helps users to identify goals, break them down into short- and longterm goals, specify the actions they will take to reach their goals, monitor their progress and adjust goals or actions where needed.

The AI coach is accessed via the Telegram messaging app or Facebook Messenger and, unlike human coaches, is available 24/7.

Dr Terblanche said the group using Vici had a 55% increase in goal attainment, compared to a 24% increase in the control group who were attempting to achieve their goals on their own without the help of the chatbot.

The more frequently the users interacted with Vici, the more they increased their goal attainment, and three months after ending their chats with Vici,

they still reported a continued momentum in achieving their goals.

The research into Vici’s effectiveness replicated a previous randomised control trial (RCT) study on the efficacy of human coaches, which found that human coaches were able to improve their clients’ goal attainment, psychological wellbeing and resilience, and reduce their stress.

Dr Terblanche said when the results of human coaches vs Vici were compared, human coaches outperformed Vici on increasing psychological wellbeing and resilience, and lowering stress, but on goal attainment – the single function which Vici was designed to perform – the chatbot performed just as well as the human coaches.

He said the results were a signal that, while AI is not yet advanced enough to replace human coaches entirely, it could effectively replace those using simplistic, narrow approaches, and that AI coaching could be “scaled to democratise coaching and provide its benefits to people in regions of the world where coaching services are scarce and expensive”.

Organisational coaching – which encompasses genres including executive, workplace, managerial, leadership and business coaching – has been proved through research as “a mechanism to support people’s learning, growth, wellness, selfawareness, career management and behavioural change”.[iii] One of the fastest growing “helping professions” in the world, coaching contributes positively to employee and organisational performance, but a lack of skilled, qualified coaches and the high costs due to scarcity put the service out of reach of the majority, especially in developing

countries.

Dr Terblanche said statistics from the largest professional coaching body, the International Coach Federation, showed that fewer than 2 000 of their 42 786 members (less than 5%) in 2020 were practicing in Africa.

Meanwhile, the average cost of executive coaching in Africa is around R1 700 an hour, and R1 500/hour in South Africa.

“This combination of low availability and high costs places human coaching well beyond the reach of most people in Africa.

“AI coaching has the potential to deliver personalised coaching at scale, reduce costs and reach a wider audience across various domains, with 24/7 availability.

Now with its efficacy proven in our study showing that the AI chatbot coach Vici was able to successfully assist users in increasing their goal attainment, there is a compelling case to employ AI coaching to democratise this helping service and extend it to previously excluded societies,” he said.

Conventional coaching is usually a one-on-one structured conversation between coach and client, although Dr Terblanche said that even before the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise of remote meetings, only about a third of coaching interactions were taking place face-to-face in a physical space.

“The use of technology in coaching is not new, with human coaches often using digital platforms such as WhatsApp, FaceTime, Skype or Zoom to interact with clients instead of faceto-face sessions. Digital coaching platforms already exist, matching employees with coaches, hosting online coaching sessions, and providing data analytics to the employer to track progress.

“But all of this still relies on

human coaches, which come at a cost and with challenges of availability and accessibility. “We sought to provide a solution that would be affordable, available and accessible – and evidencebased, backed by research,” Dr Terblanche said. He said Vici was not intended to replace human coaches and face-toface interaction. “To match a human coach would require a Strong AI entity but this field of research is in its infancy and it is highly unlikely that we will see an AI entity able to convincingly perform the functions of a human coach any time soon.”

He said the Vici chatbot is an example of “Weak AI” or Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI), in that it is focused on a specific narrow task and not a wide, general intelligence with ability to learn.

It is a type of “expert system” programmed with specialised knowledge and “able to provide acceptable solutions to individual problems in a narrow topic area”.

While coaching has numerous proven benefits including improved psychological wellbeing, reduced stress, better work relationships and management, Vici was designed to fulfil one specific coaching task, namely goal attainment, because supporting achievement of goals is a hallmark of coaching and what sets it apart from other helping professions.

Although little to no research has been done on the effectiveness of AI in organisational coaching, Dr Terblanche said research in related fields such as psychotherapy and healthcare had shown the way.

Previous research had shown the effectiveness of chatbots in supporting behavioural change, helping people to set and achieve goals for self-improvement, for example in areas such as eating habits, depression or getting more exercise.

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The economic risks of Pandexit

By Howard Davies

P

eople have been using “exit” as a suffix for a decade or so. Grexit, referring to a potential Greek departure from the eurozone, was the first to emerge. Italexit made a brief appearance, and has recently been revived on the Italian right.

But neither has come to pass. Nor has Frexit, or France’s unilateral withdrawal from the European Union. The far-right politician Marine Le Pen previously flirted with the idea, but then let it drop.

And the only candidate in the 2017 French presidential election who advocated it, François Asselineau, won just 0.9% of the vote.

Such exits seem to put off most continental Europeans.

To date, only Brexit has actually happened, even though polls in the month before the United Kingdom’s June 2016 referendum showed that more French than British voters were unhappy with the EU, by a margin of 61% to 48%.

All these potential and actual exits were regarded by most economists as undesirable. Now another is under discussion that everyone hopes will happen: Pandexit.

This unsightly portmanteau encapsulates the optimistic idea that we can soon hope to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, and go back to kissing casual acquaintances (on the cheek at least) and jamming ourselves like sardines into trams and trains in cities from New York to Tokyo.

There is little doubt that, in economic terms, the first-order consequences of a return to normal social interactions will be positive. Researchers at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) estimate that the pandemic caused an 8% output loss in developed countries in 2020,

and project a further decline of just over 2% this year. Relaxation of travel and other restrictions should deliver a powerful recovery in 2022, although its extent will vary greatly across countries depending on infection and vaccination rates. And, of course, a general upsurge in infections or reinfections could produce a third wave of economic pain if further restrictions on activity were required.

Moreover, not all of Pandexit’s economic benefits will be unalloyed.

Central bankers, who are skilled at turning opportunities into problems, are already worrying. While their baseline economic scenario is positive, they see significant risks.

“Policymakers still face daunting challenges,” the general manager of the BIS, Agustín Carstens, said recently. “Public and private debt are very high, and the pandemic’s adverse legacies are large.”

Carstens’ key point is that the economic damage created by COVID-19 has been mitigated by “unprecedented macroeconomic policy accommodation”: very low interest rates and massive doses of quantitative easing, along with “ample” fiscal support. The degree of budgetary assistance has varied from country to country, and is much greater in the United States than in Europe, for example. But government debt has risen sharply everywhere, and is now at unprecedented levels in countries like Italy and Japan.

Against this background, the BIS has identified two dangerous downside scenarios. The first is essentially epidemiological: new coronavirus variants may emerge, necessitating further lockdowns and fiscal support, which might be infeasible for some governments. But in my

view, further lockdowns will prove to be politically impossible.

So, if new virus mutations spread rapidly, we will need to muddle through as best we can, and hope that vaccinations minimize additional deaths.

The second downside scenario, which I regard as much more plausible, is that current price pressures intensify and inflation rises further, eventually requiring a monetary response.

US consumer price inflation was 5.4% in the year to July. The Baltic Dry Index, which tracks shipping rates for dry commodities, is up by about 170% this year. And supply constraints are emerging in many regions.

The official line from the US Federal Reserve and other central banks is that this inflationary surge is transitory. But as the French adage has it, “rien ne dure comme le provisoire” (nothing lasts like the temporary). If the current central bank consensus is wrong, as former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and others believe it to be, there could be trouble ahead.

Monetary tightening during Pandexit will have more than usually serious consequences.

Because central banks have hoovered up so much government debt, the average maturity of government bonds has effectively shortened, so public-sector balance sheets are more sensitive than usual to changes in shortterm interest rates. Governments will not be happy with their countries’ central bankers for tightening policy, because this could have direct fiscal consequences.

In addition, monetary tightening in the developed world, especially the US, will be highly undesirable for emerging markets. Most are still struggling

to control the pandemic and have much lower COVID-19 vaccination rates than Europe or North America, notwithstanding recent welcome signs that rich countries are now more willing to share their vaccine stocks.

In responding to the pandemic itself, we have all faced similar challenges, and the mix of policies governments have used has been broadly the same. In the Pandexit period, all that could change.

Measures that might make sense for countries with low COVID-19 infection rates and manageable public debt could spell economic disaster for others.

Carstens thus calls for normalization of monetary policy “to be very gradual,” though he also, as one might expect, asserts the primacy of inflation control and central bank independence.

He might have added that we will need more international policy coordination, something that has scarcely been in evidence in the last year and a half. The BIS itself has a job to do.

Howard Davies, the first chairman of the United Kingdom’s Financial Services Authority (1997-2003), is Chairman of NatWest Group. He was Director of the London School of Economics (2003-11) and served as Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry.

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UN launches first regional online portal to bring together all African countries with data and evidence on sustainable development

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easuring and evaluating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa became much easier as a group of regional UN entities launched the first online data portal that brings together statistical data harvested across all countries on the continent.

Today, 17 regional UN entities, under the Africa Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP), unveiled the Africa UN Data for Development Platform. This is the first platform to serve as a one-stop-shop repository that captures high-quality data and evidence on the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs from all the African countries. It is also the first of its kind to raise the profile of statistical progress toward the African Union vision – Agenda 2063.

“With barely nine years left to achieve the SDGs, making use of common and harmonized data is essential to accelerate progress.

The launch of this new platform marks a milestone in actions towards the Agenda 2030 and the African Union 2063 Agenda.

Reliable and collective data will allow all actors to make the best possible evidence-based policy action to accelerate the SDGs, strengthen collaboration, avoid unnecessary duplication and make sure that we can address gaps, really leaving no one behind,” said Assistant SecretaryGeneral Ahunna Eziakonwa, Director of the Regional Bureau

for Africa at the UN Development Programme, who also serves as Vice-Chair of the Africa RCP, at the virtual launch event.

The new data portal looks into the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and breaks them down into their 169 targets and 231 indicators, allowing everyone to track progress at the granular level.

It is open to all users, including policymakers, planners, programme managers, development partners, private sector organizations, civil society groups, academic institutions, researchers, students, media outlets and many others.

According to the statisticians at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), among the 169 targets set out in the SDGs, only 30 percent of them are quantifiable.

For the rest of the unquantifiable targets, the online platform goes ahead to propose target values by using a pragmatic and ambitious approach. It identifies the region’s outstanding countries and sets their average rate of change as the region’s target rate.

“Presenting comprehensive, practical data sets will especially help us, government civil servants, to monitor progress, make sound decisions, and evaluate outcomes and impacts.

This data platform is a longawaited online tool for us to carry out in-depth analyses and progress assessments at

the target and indicator levels, and link them with our national development plans,” said Dr. Saulos Chilima, Vice President of Malawi.

The new data engine also gives users the ability to classify the statistics by various dimensions, such as the eight regional economic communities recognized by the African Union, least developed countries, landlocked developing nations, and oil-producing, mineral-rich states. Additionally, it repackages the data by key thematic issues.

For example, users can categorize SDG indicators by agriculture, energy and health, allowing them to not only analyze the specific progress at the country level but also examine the convergence, similarities and differences among a variety of subregional blocs and topics.

“Africa is a continent with great potential and clear aspirations as articulated in the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063. The transformation requires quality, timely and disaggregated data to guide targeted investments and ensure that the desired returns in its human capital development, environmental sustainability, economic transformation and prosperity for all,” stated Oliver Chinganya, Director of the ECA Africa Centre for Statistics.

Building on the existing infrastructure developed by ECA, the Africa UN data portal consolidates statistics from platforms and technological tools

available at UN entities. Without reinventing the wheel, the UN regional group, also known as Opportunity/Issue-based Coalition (OIBC) 1, came up with a new way of bringing data to users, strengthening the “wholeof-UN” approach to provide one common space where everyone can easily find critical evidence.

“The aim is to reduce the burden on countries in terms of responding to data needs and avoid repeated data requests from various organizations. This portal brings fragmented data from member states into one place, and this information can also be used by UN agencies and other partners,” said Dr. Bannet Ndyanabangi, Regional Director ad interim of UNFPA East and Southern Africa, and OIBC 1 coconvener.

The data portal is expected to be used in progress reports on the SDGs and other sustainable development documents.

It can also be used to prepare speeches and presentations for senior leadership of governments and institutions as well as to stimulate policy conversations, for instance, for voluntary national reviews and other policy discussions around sustainable development agendas, particularly to facilitate deep analyses.

The portal can also be cited by media outlets, research institutions, and other organizations to conduct further studies.

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Feature

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

How democracy can win again

By Gergely Karácsony

M

y political awakening coincided with the systemic changes that unfolded following the collapse of communism in Hungary in 1989. I was both fascinated and overjoyed by my country’s rapid democratization. As a teenager, I persuaded my family to drive me to the Austrian border to see history in the making: the dismantling of the Iron Curtain, which allowed East German refugees to head for the West.

Reading many new publications and attending rallies for newly established democratic political parties, I was swept up by the atmosphere of unbounded hope for our future.

Today, such sentiments seem like childish naivete, or at least like the product of an idyllic state of mind. Both democracy and the future of human civilization are now in grave danger, beset by multifaceted and overlapping crises.

Three decades after the fall of communism, we are again forced to confront anti-democratic political forces in Europe. Their actions often resemble those of old-style communists, only now they run on a platform of authoritarian, nativist populism. They still grumble, like the communists of old, about “foreign agents” and “enemies of the state” – by which they mean anyone who opposes their values or policy preferences – and they still disparage the West, often using the same terms of abuse we heard during communism.

Their political practices have eroded democratic norms and institutions, destroying the public sphere and brainwashing citizens through lies and manipulation.

Nativist populism tends to be geared toward only one purpose: to monopolize state power and

all its assets. In my country, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s regime has almost captured the entire state through the deft manipulation of democratic institutions and the corruption of the economy. Next year’s parliamentary election (in which I am challenging Orbán) will show whether Hungary’s state capture can still be reversed.

I believe that it can be. But to hold populists wholly responsible for the erosion of our democracy is to mistake cause and effect.

The roots of our democratic shortcomings run deeper than the ruling party’s fervent nationalism, social conservatism, and eagerness to curtail constitutional rights. Like the rise of illiberal political parties in older Western democracies, democratic backsliding in Central and Eastern Europe stems from structural issues such as rampant social injustice and inequality.

These problems owe much to the mismanagement and abuse of the post-1989 privatization process and transition to a market economy.

Older, well-established democracies are experiencing similarly distorted social outcomes. With the development of a socially-minded welfare state in the immediate postwar decades (a period that French demographer Jean Fourastié famously called “les trente glorieuses”), economic growth in Western democracies allowed for a massive expansion of the middle class. But this was followed by a wave of neoliberal deregulation and market fundamentalist economic and social policies, the results of which have become glaringly visible today.

More than anything else, it was the radical decoupling of economic growth from social welfare that let the illiberal populist genie out of the bottle

and broke the democratic consensus in many countries.

Even worse, our generation is cursed with more than “just” a massive political and social upheaval. We are also facing a climate crisis that calls into question the very preconditions upon which modern societies are organized.

Progressives like me see this, too, as a direct consequence of how our economic system works. Infinite, unregulated economic growth – capitalism’s core dynamic – simply is not compatible with life on a planet with finite resources.

As matters stand, our capitalist system drives more extraction and generates more emissions every year.

Faced with such challenges, we cannot allow ourselves to succumb to fatalism or apathy.

Progressives, after all, must believe in the promise of human progress.

Our institutions and economic policies can be adapted to account for changing circumstances. Injustices that alienate people from democracy can be rectified. Channels for democratic dialogue can be restored.

As the mayor of Budapest, a major European city, I can attest to the fact that local governance matters. Whether it is through democratic engagement, emissions reductions, or social investment (areas where we have already made significant strides despite fierce resistance from the Orbán regime), local governments are well positioned to improve citizens’ lives. And by doing so, we can also create synergies and new models that will contribute to larger-scale progressive change. So, beyond what we do on our own, the city of Budapest is eager to contribute to all international efforts aimed at preserving democracy and a livable planet.

To that end, we will hold the Budapest Forum for Building Sustainable Democracies this month to bring together a wide range of stakeholders, including mayors, European Union officials, activists, and high-profile academics.

Participants will discuss strategies for tackling the most pressing policy challenges of our time, and then provide forward-looking, practicable policy recommendations.

As part of the forum, Budapest will also host a Pact of Free Cities summit to build a broader global network of progressive mayors and city leaders who are committed to the defense of democracy and pluralism. More than 20 city leaders – from Los Angeles to Paris and Barcelona to Taipei – are joining an alliance created by the capital-city mayors of the Visegrád Four (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) in December 2019.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said that those who want peace must learn to organize as effectively as those who want war. The same is true of democracy. With the Budapest Forum and the Pact of Free Cities, Budapest intends to help organize forces from all segments of society to ensure a democratic and livable future in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond. We must win the intellectual fight against nativist populism and the civilizational fight against climate change – and we must do both at the same time.

Gergely Karácsony is Mayor of Budapest and a candidate for prime minister of Hungary.

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WEEKLY MARKET REVIEW FOR WEEK ENDING AUGUST 27, 2021

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MONDAY MAY 3, 2021

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

Dr. Maxwell Opoku-Afari speaks at UGBS public lecture

D

r.

Maxwell OpokuAfari, the First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana delivered a public lecture organised by the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) to climax his tenure as Corporate Executive in Residence (CEiR) at the Finance Department during the 2020/2021 academic year.

The lecture took place at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana. Professor Nana Aba Amfo, acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, was the chairperson for this event.

In her remarks, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo applauded UGBS for their exceptional approach in leading discussions on national issues.

She further expressed her appreciation to Dr. Maxwell Opoku-Afari for giving out his knowledge for the benefit of all.

Prof. Justice Bawole, the Dean of the Business School, in his welcome address indicated that UGBS has formed collaborations with top industry players as well as top policymakers and faculty to bring theory into practice to improve students learning experience.

Dr. Opoku-Afari’s lecture, themed “Re-thinking Development Financing: Macroeconomic Management When the Love is Gone”, focused on three areas of macroeconomic

management in Ghana.

Firstly, he gave a historical overview of Ghana’s relationship with foreign entities who offer us financial aid. He then sought to throw light on Ghana’s shift from receiving donor funds to internally generated or domestic funds. Lastly, Dr. Opoku-Afari’s lecture discussed “re-thinking development financing and how domestic mobilisation can be enhanced to support the country’s infrastructural development”.

Describing Ghana’s relationship with the international community and- as he puts it- external partners, Dr. Opoku-Afari stated that during the early days of independence in Ghana and across the African continent, factors like high fiscal and current account deficits, rising inflation, slow growth and weak currencies, formed a potent cocktail that led to economic imbalances which worsened living standards, widened the inequality gap and increased poverty levels.

As a result, the international donor community decided to intervene by increasing the level of aid and other external flows into Africa, as part of their efforts to help Africa rise from the ashes of economic decline and poverty.

He also opined that despite their efforts, Africa’s dire economic outlook resulted from policy inconsistencies and domestic economic mismanagement.

Initiatives such as the Economic Recovery Program (ERP) and the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) were developed and implemented by countries like Ghana to receive external financial support to “address the economic imbalances, restore macroeconomic stability, and support economic growth”, said Dr. Opoku-Afari.

Ghana’s performance on the ERP positioned it in a favourable spot in the minds of the international donor community and so Ghana received substantial support from external financing sources. However, in 2006, Ghana received the status of a “Matured Stabilizer” which translated to a shift from depending on such economic reforms to a mindset of generating funds from within to build the nation. This is also in line with the President’s vision of a Ghanaian economy that has grown past its dependence on foreign aid to developing the country; Ghana Beyond Aid. Ghana must now re-think development finance by researching, developing and implementing policies and strategies to mobilise domestic revenue to finance developmental projects and develop effective and efficient human capital for Ghana’s growing economic needs. According to the Ghana Beyond Aid Charter and Strategy Document, Ghana needs

approximately US$7 billion per annum over the next 10 years to elevate the country to an uppermiddle-income class country.

Dr. Opoku-Afari intimated that the first step to developing Ghana’s capacity to generate enough funds internally for development is to rationalise government spending and efficiently enhance our public spending methods.

Furthermore, he proposed that some of the measures Ghana can take to internally generate enough funds for developmental projects include: raising the tax to GDP ratio, improving the efficiency in the collection of property-related tax, taxing the informal sector and mobilising royalties from natural resources.

He concluded his lecture by highlighting the enhancement of domestic revenue mobilisation and Ghana’s ability to attract foreign direct investments (FDIs) as Ghana’s sustainable route to developing ways to finance our developmental needs.

The event had in attendance Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Mensah, Registrar; Mrs. Elizier T. AmeyawBuronyah, Director, Public Affairs, UG; Directors and Deans as well as faculty, staff and students. The lecture was also graced by Dr. Ernest Addison, Governor, BoG, Board members and staff of BoG, the general public, and the media fraternity.