AFD in Ghana : 30 years of partnership

Photographic Exhibition

AFD IN GHANA : 30 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP FEATURING THE PHOTOG RA P H Y O F ST E V E A BA B I O, 2 0 14

Photographic Exhibition

AFD IN GHANA : 30 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP

Niger

AFD began its operations in Ghana in 1985 marking the opening of the first representation of the Group in an Anglophone country.

AFD has since concentrated its activities on major economic development infrastructural projects.

In accordance with the partnership framework agreement between Ghana and France signed in May 2013, and the home-grown Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA), AFD focuses its activities on the following areas: Agriculture Urban development and support to local authorities (decentralisation) Energy Financial and Microfinance institutions

Burkina Faso Benin Nigeria

Côte d’Ivoire

Ghana

Through its subsidiary dedicated to the Private Sector, PROPARCO, AFD also supports project investments in infrastructure and agro-industry, partly through local commercial banks.

Energy efficiency project in Ghana - Takoradi II — PROPARCO, AFD’s private sector financing arm, has provided a USD 55 million funding to Takoradi International Company Limited (TICO) as part of a cofinancing arrangement with International Finance Corporation (IFC), Dutch development bank (FMO), German Investment Corporation (DEG), Infrastructure Crisis Facility (ICF) Debt Pool and the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF).

The loan is financing the extension of the Takoradi II Power Plant, where the installed capacity will be increased by 110 MW thanks to

the construction of a combined cycle turbine (use of waste heat from the thermal turbines).

Takoradi II today accounts for over 10% of Ghana’s installed generation capacity. The extension of the power plant will increase power generation without additional consumption of gas or fuel oil.

The expected greenhouse gas emissions reduction are estimated at 275,000 tonnes of C02 equivalent per year.

Takoradi

— Aerial view of the Takoradi II project site.

— Construction progressing rapidly on the fire suppression systems at Takoradi II project site.

— Building the seawater intake which goes through desalination. The seawater will be used to cool the generator turbine.

The resulting steam will then be used to power the steam turbine for a more efficient energy production.

Bolgatanga

Ghana Grid Company’s (GRIDCO) Investment Programme — The project will strengthen Ghana’s electricity grid, including the replacement of the existing 160 KV line with a new 330 KV 535 Km-long high voltage line linking Kumasi to Bolgatanga.

It will help the country to assert its position as a regional electricity exporter (to Burkina Faso) and build the capacity of GRIDCO’s staff.

Increasing the reliability of Ghana’s existing power grid will reduce the current imbalance between the North and South of the country.

AFD funded the project with a EUR 141 million non-sovereign direct loan to GRIDCO.

Kumasi

— Engineers discussing technical issues at GRIDCO’s control room.

— An engineer explaining how to use technology to check specifications on site at GRIDCO.

— GRIDCO’s extensive infrastructure is critical to the delivery of electricity nationwide.

Awoshie-Pokuase Road — The construction of the Awoshie-Pokuase road will contribute to reducing traffic congestion in Western Accra.

It will also reduce the isolation of the suburban neighbourhoods located nearby, as set out in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Transport Network Plan.

The project will increase the overall economic productivity of the city by reducing travel time. It will also enhance urban coherence by linking up suburban neighbourhoods.

Besides, communities located in the project area will be connected to a water supply system in order to improve their living conditions.

AFD funded the project with a EUR 30 million sovereign loan to Ghana.

Some 100,000 people are expected to use the road.

Accra

— Aerial view of the new Awoshie - Pokuase Road.

— Pedestrian-eye view of the new Awoshie-Pokuase Road.

— Men constructing a bus-stop on the new Awoshie-Pokuase Road.

District Development Fund (DDF) — With the development of decentralisation in Ghana, AFD and other development partners – Canada, Swiss Cooperation, Danish Development Agency (DANIDA) and German Development Bank (KFW) – have assisted the Government of Ghana in setting up a fund for a wide range of investments at district level: the District Development Facility (DDF).

DDF coordinates and harmonises the various Ghanaian Government and donor initiatives and provides additional funds to Metropolitan,

Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). These resources are used to create infrastructure facilities in order to improve living conditions for residents.

It also builds the capacity of MMDAs to manage their financial resources and more effectively implement their mandate.

With total funding reaching EUR 36 million to date, AFD has been funding DDF since 2010.

Accra

— District Development Fund in Nungua, Accra.

Children attending Dar es Salaam Junior High School.

— District Development Fund in Nungua, Accra.

Nurse attending to outpatients at LEKMA Polyclinic.

— District Development Fund in Weija, Accra.

Basic School teachers quarters.

Rubber Outgrowers Plantations - Phase IV — This project is the fourth phase of a rubber outgrowers project financed

by AFD since 1986.

Whereas the three previous projects consisted of loans to the Government, partly on-lent to banks for credit to outgrowers, AFD for the fourth phase lent directly to the Agriculture Development Bank of Ghana, thus restricting additional indebtedness by the Ghanaian State.

The project aims to alleviating poverty in rural areas through regular income from the sale of rubber. With 30,000ha of trees exploited by 10,000 outgrowers selling rubber export, the project is a substantial source of foreign currency inflows for the country.

AFD funded the fourth phase of the project with a EUR 14 million non-sovereign direct loan to the Agriculture Development Bank of Ghana.

Takoradi

— Helena Ackah, nursery worker demonstrating the budding process at the rubber outgrowers plantation.

— Incisions being made on a rubber tree to release the sap which is gathered in small buckets attached to the tree trunk.

— Rubber bricks released from setting pans in the factory. They will then undergo a quality check and heat compression process, before being packaged for shipping.

Support for Microfinance — This project is part of the programme agreement between “Entrepreneurs du monde” (EdM) and AFD to promote sustainable and replicable social microfinance.

It targets the most vulnerable populations in six developing countries in West Africa and Southeast Asia.

In Ghana, this microfinance project aims to build the capacity of ID Ghana to reach the most marginalized populations who were previously unable to access credit.

The beneficiaries will access loans at zero interest rate and will also be trained in accountancy in order to support the growth of their small business activities.

The beneficiaries are mostly women (90%) living in slums and remote rural areas without access to microfinance institutions.

AFD funded the project in Ghana with a EUR 210,000 grant.

Accra

— Esther N. Mensah Hairdresser, ID Ghana beneficiary, at work.

— Raymond Lomo Tailor, ID Ghana beneficiary, at work.

— Agnes Amekuedi Charcoal seller, ID Ghana beneficiary, with her goods.

Conservation of Ghana’s Lake Bosomtwe Basin — Ghana’s only natural lake, Lake Bosomtwe (also one of the six meteorite lakes in the world), is faced with threats of pollution, biodiversity loss and waste mismanagement, all of which could lead to the disappearance of the lake and its resources.

The project aims to increase the incomes of the local community.

The objective is to reduce their dependency on natural resources and create a Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) as a participatory approach to conservation.

About 200 people are given funds to establish small-scale enterprises, such as grass cutting and snail farming.

AFD funded the project with a EUR 35,000 grant through the Small Initiative Program of the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM – Fonds Français pour l’Environnement Mondial).

Lake Bosomtwe

— Conservation of Lake Bosomtwe: grass-cutter rearing, one of the livelihood support programs for the community.

— Human activities on the shores of the Lake Bosomtwe include bathing, washing, brushing teeth, fetching water for domestic use, fishing and so on.

— Nets of local fishermen hanged to dry as tourists throng to visit the Lake Bosomtwe.