Ghana To Hold West Africa Investment Conference

VENTURES AFRICA – Ghana is set to hold the first edition of the West Africa Investment Conference in Accra next month. The conference, which will hold between May 8-10, is aimed at promoting the private sector in the sub-region.

Organised by Objective Capital, an international investment company, with special expertise in handling metals and minerals companies; the conference would identify different sources of investment capital, and the potential for their use to create employment, social engagement and economic growth, thereby delivering a long-term positive impact on the region’s economy.

The event also has the sponsorship of Ghanaian-led Corporate Finance Practice, Weston Capital Management, and Ghana Investment Promotion Centre. The conference is expected to introduce genuine investors to invest in projects as well as provide an environment for transacting business. About 100 participants from Canada, Australia, England, US, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Cameroon and France, are expected to participate in the conference.

According to a statement issued by the organizers, “The conference will offers regional and international investors, financiers and corporate the chance to see first-hand the transformation taking place as well as the opportunity to build personal relationships with the region’s business leaders, policy-makers, local financial service providers and entrepreneurs. With representatives from more than 100 deals of all sizes seeking an aggregate of US$5bn+ in financing already attending you have the opportunity to benefit from the region’s growth.”

West Africa is one of the fastest growing regions in the continent. It is rapidly growing in terms of personal wealth, high commodity prices, and economic reform and increasing stability while offering investors tremendous opportunities in everything from financial services to mining, consumer goods, manufacturing and oil & gas.

Speaking about the conference, Objective Capital Managing Director, Ms Ros Lund, said the conference aims to create an annual investment pilgrimage in West Africa, which would attract potential investors, as well as provoke debate that would identify investment opportunities in Ghana and the sub-region.

The conference will also focus on the mining sector and the agricultural sector of the economy. The agricultural sector has 60 per cent of the country’s work-force. “We want to educate Small and Medium Enterprises to find business opportunities and not excuses for not finding enough opportunities,” Ms Lund said.

Furthermore, Mrs Harriette Amissah-Arthur, of Arthur Energy Advisor stressed that the conference is necessary as in the modern world one had to attract investment through convictions. She added that “The notion in the sub-region that we need to be treated with particular consideration should stop. What we need to do as a people is to attract people to invest in our economy, by creating the right kind of atmosphere.” She noted that the conference would consider the demand and supply of power in the sub-region, as well as looking at Ghana’s position in supporting sustainable economic and social development of her neighbors, through her power exportation programme.

Mr Rexford Kontor, Executive Director, Weston Capital Management also said the conference was not going to be a talk shop, rather, it was an event for networking with the region’s policy makers, investors, entrepreneurs and industry leaders. He posits that the event was specifically designed to make a sustainable impact on the region’s socio-economic development, through the show-casing of true investment opportunities across a variety of sectors.

Mr Edward Ashong-Larte, Investment Promotion Director of GIPC, lauded the maiden edition of the conference and said it was in line with the aims and objectives of the centre, which sought to promote investment. He appealed to stakeholders to take the opportunity to participate in the conference aimed at show casing trade investment opportunities in the various sectors.

Speakers expected at the conference include Hon. John Dramani Mahama was sworn into office as the Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Kwabena Duffor, Ghana’s Minister for Finance, Hon. Hanna Tetteh, Ghana Minister for Trade & Industry, and Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei- Ghana’s Minister of Energy.

Other speakers at the event include:
Barbara Manui President, Blue Future
Dr Toni Aubynn CEO, Ghana Chamber of Mines
Patrick AcheampongRisingSun Montessori School
Marindame KombateWest African Investment Manager, LGT Venture Philanthropy…
Sam Brew-ButlerChairman, Cenpower Generation
William Hutton-MensahManaging Director, Electricity Company of Ghana
Kweku Andoh AwotwCEO, Volta River Authority
Jabesh Amissah-ArthurCEO, Bui Power Authority
Boadu AdjeiChief Executive Officer, Oasis Capital
Matthew Boadu AdjeiChief Executive Officer, Oasis Capital
Vanessa AdamsTrade Hub Project Director, US AID – West Africa Trade Hub
Sebastien BoyéInvestment Director, I&P
Nana Owusu-AfariCEO, Afariwaa Group of Companies
Emmanuel BekoeFund Director, German International Corporation, SPEED Funding Facility
Chief Emeka OkengwuManaging Director/Chief Executive Officer, Anthill Concepts