Volume 1 issue 49

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MONDAY | DECEMBER 15, 2014 Title Code: DELENG18579 • RNI NO: DELENG/2014/54666 • Postal Registration No.: DN/325/2014-2016 • VOL. 1 • NO. 49 • Page 12 • Price `10

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C O N N E C T S

SEYCHELLES&MUMBAI

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Etihad backed-Air Seychelles has launched thrice weekly direct flight between Seychelles and Mumbai. The Seychelles Tourism Board in connotation with Air Seychelles along with a delegation of private

sector partners from the islands piloted a road show in Mumbai, India, one day after the launch of the much-awaited direct flight between the two countries.

The opening flight which landed in Mumbai a little bit after 3 o’clock in the morning on December 3 was greeted by the symbolic water cannon which was then followed by a small cake-cutting ceremony at the airport.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Ms. Sherin Naiken, was among the significant luminaries who escorted Mr. Manoj Papa, the Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, for this inaugural launch. The high-level delegation was also accompanied by Mr. Freddy Kakaria, Chairman of the Hospitality and Tourism Association, members of the travel trade, as well as members of the Indian business community.

The airline said it will link India with Tanzania, South Africa and Madagascar with its one stop flights via Seychelles and also plans a code share with Jet Airways to grow traffic.

Its Chief Executive Officer Mr. Manoj Papa said the airline is concentrating on all business sections - leisure travel, trade and labour traffic to Indian Ocean region.

"We plan to grow our regional and long haul network with code shares and partnerships enabling Seychelles to become an aviation hub in Indian Ocean,'' Papa added. The airline has a single Airbus A320 and two Airbus A330s and has no instant ideas to expand fleet.

The Air Seychelles direct flight will not only join the commercial and financial capital of India, but its conglomerate with Etihad Airways and upcoming code share arrangements with Jet Airways will also link other key Indian cities to Seychelles via Mumbai. India is one of the fastest-growing outbound tourism markets internationally with more than 15 million Indians traveling overseas every year.

As the Seychelles Tourism Board is now eyeing at new source markets, India has the latent to expressively contribute to the snowballing numbers of tourist arrivals into Seychelles. The Seychelles Tourist Board

DRC: FutuRe FooD Basket oF aFRiCa

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aLiGNiNG oP-PoRtuNities to suCCess

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kaberuka receives Lifetime

achievement award from

Forbes africa

France's total inaugurates major oil project off angola

Wassupafrica02Nigeria's opposition set to pick presidential candidate

Miners urged to modernize sector

Thousands of delegates from across Nigeria converge on Lagos, as the main

opposition party chooses its candidate to run for president in next year's elections.

Unlike the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as its only candidate, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has to choose from among five hopefuls.

But primary looks set to be a two-horse race, although opinions are split as to who is the favourite.

"It is going to be a straight battle between Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar," Olusegun Adeniyi, who was former president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's spokesman, told AFP.

At stake for the winner of the February 14 vote is the chance to wrest the presidency from the PDP for the first time since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.

Boko Haram's insurgency is raging in the northeast; the economy is reeling from falling global oil prices; while corruption, impunity and poor governance are seen as worse than ever.

"People want to see a candidate who represents some significant shift," said Clement Nwankwo, director of the Policy and Legal Advisory Centre, a civil society group.

In theory, the APC a coalition of four opposition parties buoyed by a wave of defections from the PDP has never been in a better position to challenge for government.

It has focused its campaign on the Jonathan administration's stewardship of the economy, insecurity and its perceived failure to tackle corruption.

Its argument is that the

country needs change but it still faces an uphill battle to overcome the financial clout and organisation of the PDP.

Buhari, who lost to Jonathan four years ago and to Yar'Adua in 2007, and Atiku, a four-time candidate for the presidential nomination, are among Nigeria's most well-known politicians.

The 71-year-old Buhari, who was military ruler from 1983-85, has a reputation for a no-nonsense approach to corruption, even though human rights groups condemned his methods during his time in power.

The former general would be expected to take a tougher line against Boko Haram and may be favoured because he is backed by the APC's political godfather Bola Tinubu.

Abubakar, 68, is seen as the better political operator.

Buhari had to take out a 27.5 million naira ($150,000, 122,000 euro) bank loan to pay for his own presidential form.

The wealthy Abubakar, who was vice president under Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, has funded his own campaign -- and those for other APC governorship candidates in the south.

That is likely to win him party votes from those regions. His eight years of experience in government and friends across

Local miners in Rwanda have been urged to embrace modern mining ways to fully benefit from the mining sector.

The call was made by Evode Imena, the State Minister in charge of minerals at the Ministry of Natural Resources during activities to celebrate mining Day in Burera District.

The day which was organised by the management of Gifurwe Wolfram Mining and Processing Ltd brought together officials from the mining sector, miners and several government officials.

Imena said while Gifurwe mining and processing has made progress, more efforts are needed to improve the way minerals are exploited.

“As you work together, make sure you always improve the way

the political divide as a former ruling party member are also possible assets.

"Atiku has the better political machine and he's a past master at winning political primaries," said political commentator Chris Ngwodo.

Abubakar has set himself apart from other presidential hopefuls by publishing a detailed policy document, which includes 100-day and five-year plans for government.

Abubakar has "decades of business experience, which should give him an edge over Buhari, who has no known experience in the private sector," said political and social commentator Tolu Ogunlesi. But past accusations of corruption dating back to Abubakar's time as head of the customs service may also count against him if the APC maintains its strong line on graft.

Buhari's past as a military ruler, however, is unlikely to mark him down: most of today's voters in youthful Nigeria were either too young or not even born yet when he was in power.

"The passage of time has polished his record and created a myth," Ngwodo said.

In 2011, Buhari won 12 million votes despite the lack of a well-organised party machine behind him.

Modern Ghana

Olam launches four global initiatives to mark 25th anniversary

Olam International, the leading global agribusiness with cocoa, cashew, rice and wheat operations across Ghana, today announced that it is launching four global initiatives to commemorate its 25 th anniversary.

Mr. Amit Agrawal, Olam Ghana Country head, said the initiatives are designed to address some of the challenges facing the next generation, such as food, water and energy security, the impact of climate change, sustainable and inclusive growth, and good governance, particularly in the emerging markets.

“As we celebrate Olam's 25th year and its journey from a single-product, single-country company to a global agri-business, we reflect on our vision of transcending boundaries – the meaning of Olam – and consider how we will continue to evolve over the next 25 years”, said Mr. Agrawal.

The four initiatives being introduced by Olam International to mark its 25th anniversary are - the Olam Prize for Innovation in Food Security, the Olam Scholarship Programme, the Olam Foundation and Building Sustainable Futures Forum.

Entries closed on 4 December 2014 and the winner will be announced in March 2015 at the 3rd Global Science Conference on Climate Smart Agriculture. The winner of this prize will receive US$50,000.

The Olam Scholarship Programme is aimed at fostering leadership and governance in the emerging markets by supporting aspiring and capable students to pursue higher education in esteemed international institutions. Through the scholarships and the mentoring of awardees, Olam hopes to play its part in creating a generation of change catalysts who will contribute towards economic transformation, provide good governance, and help develop these emerging economies.

This programme will award up to 10 scholarships each year to postgraduate students wishing to complete further study in development

economics, business management, and public policy and administration, and who are passionate about working in emerging markets.

The fourth initiative is inspired by Olam's increasing familiarity with the key drivers that can improve rural livelihood after operating at the farm-gate around the world for over 25 years. The Olam Foundation provides a vehicle for Olam to support these developmental issues beyond the day-to-day commercial framework of the company's business.

With an initial fund of US$3 million the company will focus on applications for projects in select developmental sectors in targeted countries. Olam also intends to make annual contributions to the fund to scale the scope of the Foundation's activities. Olam's final global initiative, Building Sustainable Futures Forum, will be a platform where the rising resource constraints threatening continued global development can be debated and solved in a holistic way. The Forum, to be held in the second half of 2015, will bring together leaders from different industries across the private sector, NGOs, Governments and academics to focus on key developmental issues, including food security, water security, energy security, climate change, sustainable growth and inclusive growth.

Olam International explains that the objective for the forum is to break down silos and find sustainable solutions to these interlinked yet complex and intractable issues. Through starting the debate, the company hopes to develop a practical, action-oriented approach, with inter-disciplinary collaboration and a focus on private sector-led programmes, in order to find solutions to these key global developmental challenges.

Modern Ghana

you extract minerals through sharing skills,” he said.

He stressed the need to develop the mining sector from traditional to modern systems.

He commended the sector’s role in improving the welfare of local residents.

Jean Malic Kalima, the Managing Director of Wolfram Mining and Processing Ltd, said they had developed the sector over years and were optimistic to keep improving it.

He said miners are well catered for and get basic necessities such as insurance cover.

Kalima said they were commited to increasing productivity to counter challenges presented by current drop in global mineral prices.

Gifurwe Mining was idle and

unexploited until 2006 when it was taken over by the company.

Miners who spoke to The New Times said working in mines has transformed their lives.

One of the miners Joyeuse Uwineza, said: “I started after completing my secondary school. As a girl, I thought it was difficult to work in mines but later realised it was possible, I have managed to cater for all my basic needs,” she said.

Cassiterite, coltan, and wolfram are Rwanda’s principle minerals. The sector directly employs more than 33,000 people, mostly rural dwellers who depend on small-scale mining for a living.

The value of mineral exports decreased by 18 per cent to $191.3 million (Rwf132 billion) this year from $226 million (Rwf156 billion) in 2013, owing to low prices on the international market for Rwanda’s traditional minerals.

The figures exclude the months of November and December – with government projecting to reach $207 million by the end of the year.

Volumes increased, however, by 14.3 per cent to 8046 tonnes in 2014 from 7000 tonnes exported in 2013.

New Times

Retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari (R)

MONDAY | DECEMBER 15, 2014

Wassupafrica 03

FRoM page 01

opened its India office a little more than a year ago, and since then the response from the market has been very heartening.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Sherin Naiken, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board, said: “We are excited about the Indian market, and the direct flight is just the first step towards our efforts to develop the country as a key source market.

Our local business partners are already working with us, and we will be soon taking significant steps that will take the cooperation between India and Seychelles to another level. We thank the private sector in supporting us in our efforts to promote Seychelles in India.”

For those who might recall, Air Seychelles’ earlier venture to India about three years ago presented a stop in the Maldives and the apprehensions were as to whether a direct flight will appeal to the Indian population now as last year only around 2,000 Indians visited Seychelles.

Ms. Naiken replied by saying the STB is making improvement

to tap into the Indian tourism market and this flight will help endorse Seychelles as a tourism destination for Indian travellers.

There were also anxieties about the long-term pledge of Air Seychelles to this venture, Ms. Naiken said now that the STB has a stable base in Mumbai it will consequently permit for a better link between Seychelles and India, which will in turn benefit Air Seychelles.

Mr. Papa, on his part, said Air Seychelles is a much changed airline now and thus it expects to make full use of this venture and hopefully stay in operation in Mumbai for a long time.

Air Seychelles will fly to Mumbai on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8.45pm and it will leave Mumbai for Seychelles on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Recently, Seychelles was described the Best International Destination for Relaxation at the Lonely Planet India Readers Travel Awards and in Conde Nast Traveller India as one of the best emerging destinations.

The Government and the African Development Bank (AfDB), signed a financial agreement worth $18 million (about Rwf13 billion).

The financial support, a concessional loan, will support the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Biomedical Engineering and e-Health (CEBE) at the University of Rwanda (UR). Speaking after the signing ceremony in Kigali, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Amb. Claver Gatete, said the support will contribute to the development of relevant and highly skilled workforce in biomedical sciences to help meet East African Community’s immediate labour market needs.

It will also support the implementation of EAC’s ‘free’ labour market protocols.

“We need to create centres of excellence in science and medicine that will boost skills, equipment, infrastructure not only in the health sector but also in socio-economic development,” Amb. Gatete added.

The CEBE Rwanda will be part of the EAC network of centres of excellence and will target students

Rwf13 billion to help in developing e-Health at University of Rwanda

The President of the African Development Bank Group, Donald Kaberuka, received the Forbes Africa Lifetime Achievement Award, December 4 during the magazine’s 4th Annual Person of the Year Awards ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya.

In a statement delivered on his behalf by Gabriel Negatu, Director of the AfDB’s East Africa Regional Resource Centre, Kaberuka

expressed his appreciation for the award, which he dedicated to the 2,000 Bank staff, whom he said, “it is my privilege to lead. “Anything I have achieved in my ten year stint at the helm of this great Bank has been achieved with their unfailing support, skill and dedication.”

Kaberuka saluted the leaders present at the evening’s awards, and called on them and others to carry the torch: “As I look back on my time

Kaberuka receives Lifetime Achievement Award from Forbes Africa

in the service of Africa at the African Development Bank. I know we are winning, but we have not won yet. “Leadership will take us to the goal, and I salute the many of you tonight who are leaders. Your followers constitute the youngest and most dynamic population in the world. Africa has shown that it is a place of immense opportunity for its young people.” Nigerian business man Aliko Dangote received the Forbes

Africa Person of the Year Award for 2014. Kaberuka, Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, South African advocate Thuli Madonsela and Arunma Oteh, Director-General of Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission, were among the high-profile nominees. Kaberuka’s tenure as AfDB President comes to an end with the election of a new Bank President in May 2015.

AfDB

from the partner states.The institute will provide

leadership in training, research and preventive maintenance services to cater for regional needs.

One of the key pillars of CEBE is to strengthen the synergy between the academia, the government and the private sector while harnessing the transformational power of biomedical engineering and ICT for cost-effective service provision and job creation.

The CEBE will seek ways to ensure development of e-Health tools and systems within the region.

Negatu Makonnen, AfDB country representative, said the project will contribute to the development of

relevant and skilled workforce in biomedical sciences.

“We expect the outcomes to include improved access to timely, affordable and quality specialised biomedical services in the region, but also specialised tertiary education in this sector.”

“What we have signed today brings the overall AfDB commitment to $656 million and is primarily focused on infrastructure, finance, energy and transport sectors,” he

added. Prof. James McWha, the vice-chancellor of the University of Rwanda, said the project brings value, noting that as “our health improves so is the opportunity to improve the economy.”

AfDB Country Strategy Paper (CSP) is aligned to Rwanda’s Vision 2020 and the second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy. The current CSP (2012-2016) focuses on infrastructure (energy, transport, agriculture, water and sanitation) and private sector development.

Infrastructure accounts for 69.3 per cent of the total commitments.

New Times

AfDB Resident Representative Negatu Makonnen (L) and Finance Minister Claver Gatete shake hands after signing

Donald Kaberuka, President, African Development Bank

mONDAY | DECEmBER 15, 2014

the climate gifts the country with a diverse range of tropical and even Mediterranean crops. Out of such a vast area, more than half of DRC’s land is arable and is suitable for farming though only 1-2% of the nation’s farmable land has been cultivated so far.

Designated as the backbone of the country, agriculture contributes nearly 56% to the GDP and employs majority of the population of more than 66%. The principal cash crops include coffee, palm oil, rubber, sugar, tea and cocoa whereas cassava, plantains, maize, groundnuts, and rice are the major food crops. High plains of the east and south are best known for the production of coffee beans, potatoes and leeks. The Eastern Highlands enjoying cool temperatures and fertile soil accounts for most of the cultivation of tomatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, and pumpkins and Mediterranean vegetables like artichokes and asparagus.

Incredible ICTThe sector possesses

tremendous potential and provides an ocean of opportunities to investors mentioned below: Establishment of internet

centers across the country; Introduction of ICT applications

in universities, colleges as well as in primary and high schools;

Involvement of ICT sector in

countryoftheWeek04

A country spotted in the heart of Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo

recognized with other different names like DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa or the DRC is parked in Central Africa. The country is surrounded by the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi in the east, Zambia and Angola to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the west and is divided from Tanzania by Lake Tanganyika in the east. Owing to its widespread area of 2,345,308 km2, the country is dubbed as the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa and eleventh largest in the world. By virtue of its equatorial location, the country encounters high rainstorm and bears the highest frequency of thunderstorms in the world.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOKSparsely populated in

comparison to its area, the country is a home to exceptional natural resources and is blessed with a lot mineral wealth with untouched deposits of raw materials estimated to be around $US 24 trillion. At the time if independence, the Democratic Republic of Congo was the most industrialized country after South Africa and enjoyed a flourishing mining and agriculture sector. With an endeavor to revive its industry, the country is commencing the establishment of special economic zones. The first SEZ focusing on agro-industries was launched in 2012 in N’Sele, a commune of Kinshasa. Further, the Congolese authorities are planning to introduce another SEZ dedicated to mining (Katanga) and third to cement (in the Bas-Congo).

Agriculture- Packed with Potential

Bearing the potential to feed the whole of Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo has mammoth agricultural capacity. Owing to its location near the equator and stretching over two tropical zones,

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the promotion of agriculture by way of proper planning and adoption of innovative methods for sustainable purposes;

Provision of basic internet services that includes web browsing, email, file transfer, interpersonal communication etc;

Introduction and implementation of modern applications viz. videoconferencing, telemedicine, distance learning amongst others;

Increasing InfrastructureThe country awarded with

thousands of kilometers of negotiable waterways and water transport has traditionally been the leading means of commuting in the country. The government programme about the five blueprints registers infrastructures amongst the priority sectors of DRC. Regarded as a flourishing sector, it offers enormous opportunities to investors in rebuilding the road network, air transport and waterways network.

EnergyThe country carrying in its

lap plentiful energy resources proficient of aiding various forms of energy, involving hydro, wind, solar, biogas, biofuel etc. could produce itself sufficient

electricity to meet the needs of the whole African continent. With an estimated hydropower potential of nearly 106,000 MW or 37% of the entire potential of Africa, the national electrification rate is only 6%. One of the major developments that brought a drastic change in the energy sector was the Electricity Code Policy Project that was passed in 2009.

Mining

Bearing treasures of copper, cobalt and diamonds, the Democratic republic of Congo is ranked amongst one of the richest mining countries in Africa. Over the last two years, the developments taken place in DRC had brought positivity in the country. As mining is believed to be one of the strongest pillars in the holding of country’s economy, the Government’s response has also been promising especially relating to the mining industry observing its utmost importance. Mainly the mining activities are confined to the southern and eastern parts, where the prominent Copper belt stretches to the DRC from Zambia near Lubumbashi. The country’s entire mining activities are levered and controlled by Geca mines that too copper and cobalt mines in particular. Acquiring gigantic potential, a huge traffic of foreign companies are attracted by the Copper belt.

TelecommunicationSince 1968, the Office of

Congolais des Postes et des Télécommunications (OCPT) is the public telecommunications and postal operator and is the national fixed line operator in the country. Worth mentioning, the Democratic Republic of Congo was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to commence cellular services by assigning the license in 1986 to Telecel International for an AMPS network.

With presence of eight licensed mobile operators in the country with localized networks created in larger cities across the country, Kinshasa possesses the major share of subscribers. In the country, internet services are most accessible in the major towns of Kinshasa, Lubumbasi, Matadi, Kikwit and Kananga.

DRIVING FORCES TO INVEST IN DRC Various tax and custom benefits Safe and promising business

environment Booming economy Abundant, skilled and

reasonable labor

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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AT A GLANCE

Country Official Name: Democratic Republic of the CongoHead of State: Joseph KABILA KABANGECapital: KinshasaIndependence day: 30 June 1960Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, others 10% including syncretic sects and indigenous beliefsTotal Land Area: 2,345,410 Km2 (2nd largest in Africa after Algeria)GDP: 27.57 billion (estimate of 2013)Inflation rate: 1.07 % (2013)Growth rate: 8.5 %Population: 80 million habitants (estimate 2013)Languages: Official: FrenchNational: Lingala, Tshiluba, Swahili and KikongoClimate: Tropical climate with 2 seasons raining (9 months) and dry (3 months) seasons.Export Items: Diamond, Copper, gold, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, coffee, manganese, tin, tantalum, gold, zinc, timber etc.Import Items: Food stuffs, mining machineries, transport equipments, fuels Main Economic Sector: Mining and agriculture Time Zone: WAT and CAT (UTC +1 to +2)Currency: Congolese franc (CDF)

DemocrAtic repubLic oF coNgoF u t u r e F o o d B a s k e t o f A f r i c a


BusinessBuzz 05Fidelity Bank honours 89 staff for Long Service

M-Pawa to the (one million) M-people First Atlantic Bank Goes To North Industrial Area —Pledges Different Banking Experience To Businesses

Fidelity Bank Ghana Limited has honored eighty-nine (89) members of staff who have contributed immensely to the continuous growth of the company over the years.

Managing Director (MD) of the Bank, Mr. Edward Effah, commended employees of the bank for their admirable service over the years. Some of the employees marked their 5th and 10th years respectively.

The MD congratulated all the award recipients and thanked them for their individual contributions to the Bank, with particular mention of Sharon Oko - Martey (Head, Customer Care), David Abbey (Head, Trading, Fixed Income and FX) Shirley Amengor (Manager, Treasury Sales & Marketing), Regina Yovonoo (Manager, Transaction Banking), and Osei Poku (Driver Dispatch ) “I have seen all these people grow professionally over the last 10 years and I congratulate them for their career achievements”, he said.

First Atlantic Bank, a leading bank in Ghana has opened its North Industrial Area branch to serve businesses and individuals in the industrial hub of the country.

According to senior officials of the bank, the new branch, which is the fifth to be opened by the bank this year, formed part of the bank’s strategy to bring its banking services closer to customers and

businesses.The Executive

Director of First Atlantic Bank, Mr. Daniel Addo, pledged a different banking experience and a strong customer service culture in the bank’s new branch to businesses in the country.

He told participants at the well-attended l a u n c h i n g ceremony that the bank’s overall objective was to become the bank of choice both locally and international ly ,

Vodacom Tanzania’s mobile money service M-Pawa has passed the one million subscriber mark according to Mobile Money Africa. The service, launched in May 2014, allows users to open and operate a bank account via their mobile phone and save as little as TZS1 (USD0.00056), with savings earning daily interest recoverable at the end of every quarter. Vodacom’s head of financial services, Jacques Voogt, is cited as saying: ‘…the financial sector in Tanzania has been revolutionised by mobile money services such as

It is a natural part of any business that staff do leave and when they do we wish them every success because we know that we have given them a high standard of training, he said. For those that remain a part of the Fidelity family, Mr. Effah reiterated the bank's commitment to ensuring increased career opportunities as a result of the acquisition of ProCredit Ghana, adding that the institution will continue its growth strategy to become a competitive global brand that supports local business and households to flourish.

“As a growing business we

French oil firm Total inaugurated a major project off Angola with a capacity

of 160,000 barrels per day as the company touted its African investments in the face of falling prices. New Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanne inaugurated the CLOV project, which draws from four deep-water fields off Angola in the Atlantic off southwestern Africa.

CLOV was launched in 2010 at a cost of $8 billion (6,5 billion euros). Thursday's inauguration came with petroleum-producing nations and the industry struggling with falling oil prices.

"Total has three particular strengths: ultra-deep water, liquefied natural gas and Africa," Pouyanne said at the ceremony, adding that Total was the largest producer on the continent.

It is also the largest producer in Angola.

"Despite the volatility of oil

France's total inaugurates major oil project off Angola

prices, we are keeping a long-term vision and we are maintaining the projects that have been announced, such as Kaombo in Angola," he said.

The development of the Kaombo project however, which the company hopes will produce 230,000 barrels per day, has seen a budget cut, from $20 billion to $16 billion.

A third of Total's production as operator - some 670,000 barrels per day - occurs in Africa. Pouyanne, who took over after the recent death of Christophe de Margerie in a Moscow plane crash, visited Gabon as well during his trip and plans to visit Nigeria in January, where Total also has investments.

Nigeria remains Africa's largest oil producer at some 1.88 million barrels per day in October, according to the International Energy Agency. Angola is the second-largest, with October production at 1.72 million barrels per day.

Modern Ghana

continue to develop talent through our graduate program. Indeed we will be giving 10 young people the opportunity to take their place in our world-class graduate program before the end of this year.”

Commenting on the future prospects of the Bank, Mr. Effah said, “We are poised for greater things in the coming years with the acquisition of ProCredit Savings and Loans Company, the technology partnership with IBM and our Financial Inclusion strategy, which is to deliver low cost deposits to the Bank”.

Modern Ghana

by establishing strong links with regional players in the West African sub-region and Africa at large.

“And so for those of you who are doing business in the sub-region, this is your bank of choice. We have strong alliances, we have a strong relationship, we have robust products that allow you to make your payments and collection in Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Benin, among others,” Mr. Addo stressed.

The Board Chairperson of First Atlantic Bank, Mrs. Karen Akiwumi-Tandoh was hopeful that the new branch would help grow the bank’s commercial banking portfolio and would be

particularly relevant to the numerous businesses within the Industrial Area. She noted that following the continuous change in the banking landscape in Ghana, there was the need to design packages that would meet the demand of the banking public.

Mrs. Akiwumi-Tandoh added: “As

the requirements of consumers increased, we at First Atlantic Bank are constantly redesigning our value proposition to deliver on your expectations and in response to customers’ demands; our strategy is to create and roll out branches that are specifically suited to their environment and by so doing position our branches to constituently deliver a memorable customer experience.”

According to her, customers demand greater convenience, increased accessibility, a wider variety of products and services, improved system availability, good customer service and faster turn-around times.

Ghanaian Chronicle

M-Pawa…we are proud to have played a key role in allowing many Tanzanians who did not yet have access to financial services to become active players in the country’s economy through this service.’

BalancingAct Africa


fRaNkLY sPeaKinG06

By kirit soBti, editor, [email protected]

The insurance market on the continent of Africa has transformed and continues to transform considerably - but it still has a long way to go.

At the same time as it shelters only 10% of the world’s population, the G7 accounts for almost 65% of the world’s insurance premiums. In 2012, individuals in developing markets spent USD 3,700 less per capita on insurance premiums than those within the G7.

Of the regions believed as “emerging markets” - although the more developed parts of Asia had the highest premiums per capita (USD 4,387.5), the continent of Africa was ranked last with USD 66.4. (i.e. only 1.5% of the premiums in the more developed parts of Asia).

It consequently comes as little wonder that the African insurance market is expressively less innovative than much of the rest of the world. The most common pointer of a radical insurance sector is the insurance penetration ratio (i.e. the gross value of insurance premiums as a percentage of GDP).

The reinsurer Swiss Re’s 2013 Global Insurance Report measured Africa as having a penetration rate of 3.65%. This is far below the world average of 6.5%. Furthermore, this figure is satisfying to the continent as it embraces the South African insurance market - one of the most advanced in the world.

Two foremost factors contribute to the state of Africa’s insurance sector. The first is a general theme of distrust. Throughout the continent there is a lack of promptly available information on a person’s background. Government accounts can be meagre and official records unsatisfactory. This makes it problematic to evaluate an individual’s soundness. This in turn has settled a suspicion of non-face-to-face transactions. Across much of Africa there is a mistrust of the internet that has not troubled the Western markets.

The privacy of the web alarms domestic and foreign businesses, which distress cheats and fraud. Certainly, to perform insurance on the internet in Mozambique or Angola (to name a few) one must fill in an online application and then actually visit the local insurance branch in person to make physical payments. The use of a system of standing order or direct debit is just not possible.

The theme of corporate suspicion is shared. Whereas businesses and financial service workers are suspicious of their customers, African individuals are similarly sceptical of their institutions. At the same time as this sarcasm is usually intended towards the banks it feasts to the insurance sector as well.

Perhaps as a result of these opinions many African societies have developed their own informal methods of communal insurance.

This matter is further combined by the potential risk of corruption in many African jurisdictions. Indeed, from a legal viewpoint, under-developed jurisdictive miss the mark to provide consumers and investors with the reassurance they necessitate. In a business driven by faith and danger many are put off by the lack of security the local legal systems offer their insurers and insured.

The second and perhaps more significant cause

A LoNg WAY to go…

Besides the competitive pricing and unique data offers, the device insurance offer by Airtel provides our customers with safety and security of their devices and the peace of mind while they use their iPhone device powered by Airtel's quality network in Kenya.

Dr. CJ Jone CEO, Acre Africa

ADiL eL YouSSeFi CEO, Airtel Kenya

Local government minister Francis Kaboneka urged local leaders to sensitize communities to join Mutelle de Sante, a community-based health insurance, to ease access to quality and cheaper health services.

He was addressing Ngoma District leaders. Kaboneka, who commended the district’s ranking in recent performance contracts (Imihigo), said that Ngoma’s 70 per cent insurance coverage is still low. He warned that low health insurance subscription could undermine the district’s overall performance in next year’s Imihigo.

“Ngoma District was the second in last year’s country-wide rankings, but I am afraid that you risk sliding back instead of moving to position one,” he said.

Community-based health insurance was introduced in 1999 and expanded to cover a majority of the Rwandans by 2012.

Government sees it as one of the key policies that help improve access to health services across the country.

People subscribe for Mutuelle de Sante according to categories. Those considered very poor pay an annual premium of Rwf2, 000 that is settled by government on their behalf.

The rest are expected to pay for themselves premiums of Rwf3,000 and Rwf7,000.

Dr. William Namara, the Director of Kibungo Hospital said the low subscription for the health insurance affected the hospital.

“It affects our operations…we may even fail to pay for medicine if this trend continues. Otherwise we may stop at offering consultation and sending patients to buy medicine somewhere else,” he said.

District leaders say they would mount a door-to-door sensitisation campaign.

“We have started a marathon programme that will see every leader busy with sensitisation. We can’t afford to be let down by one aspect in performance contracts,” said Providence Kirenga, the Vice Mayor Social Affairs.

New Times

Kaboneka urges leaders to promote health insurance

We are determined to champion a paradigm shift towards equity, fairness and innovation in the agricultural sector. Majority of the farmers are small holder farmers. The agriculture insurance market in Kenya focuses mainly on large scale farmers, therefore Acre Africa seeks to address this problem by developing insurance products.

From a clean insurance viewpoint, the operating environment is also becoming more constructive - increased constancy and enhancements in transparency

of Africa’s less advanced insurance market is merely the deprived economic track record of African countries. For years very low or non-existent growth and minimal economic incentive has beleaguered the continent. However, it is for this reason that the future of the African insurance market is now so promising.

With few exceptions (notably the wealthy Middle East, where Islam forbids conventional insurance), there is a direct positive correlation between GDP per capita and premiums per capita. At first glance, this reflects poorly upon the continent. Africa has constantly recorded a lower GDP per capita than any other populated continent for as long as the statistics go back. This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that over the last 60 years the countries of Africa have recorded an average per capita GDP growth of only 1.17%, whereas Asia have relished average growth of 3.9%. In any event, pointers suggest that all this is now changing.

For the past ten years the African economy (taken as a whole) has grown between 5% and 7% per annum (well above the world average). During this period real income per person in Africa has augmented by more than 30%.

Considering Africa’s favourable demographics and wealth of natural resources (including 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land), such rate of growth is not anticipated to slow any time soon.

From a clean insurance viewpoint, the operating environment is also becoming more constructive

- increased constancy and enhancements in transparency and the rule of law are all contributing to a growth in regional insurance practices. This is revealed in the high rate of market liberalisation that has been seen across Africa, as insurance companies have efficaciously pushed governments to allow private entry into the previously state monopolised sectors.

The shared enthusiasm surrounding the liberalisation of the African markets is not unfounded. Insurance market liberalisation has been confirmed to have considerable positive effects on economic health.

If a momentous quantity of the households behave in this way, the growth of consumer demand will be adversely affected, thus halting industrial and GDP growth. A competitive insurance facility is needed to safeguard the completeness of a market. Although in turn the completeness of a market is required to encourage a competitive insurance sector. It is this positive cycle that we are now beginning to see across much of the African continent.

Given the vast vicissitudes in economic growth rates and the liberalisation of insurance markets over the past decade, the world is now beginning to view the insurance markets on the African continent with serious interest. As the improvements and growth continue, in the more under developed regions of Africa it seems predictable that these changes will reduce mistrust of businesses and financial institutions and develop a reliable platform upon which the insurance industry can build. In the more industrialised regions of Africa the building has already begun.

The Budding African Insurance Market


traVeL&touRism 07

Entering the magical world of Egypt tourist can witness the beautiful monuments depicting the ancient Egypt, beautiful beaches and the stunning deserts. Egypt offers a great opportunity to experience the rich culture portraying the glorifying history and old traditions. One can get

mesmerized in the temples, tombs, museums, monuments that display ancient artefacts such as coins, ceramic art, ancient emperors, mosaics, sarcophagi and mummies. The famous sound and light show at the Temple of Philae or Abu-Simbel is one of the most renowned place in Egypt.

The Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the most eminent structures listed in the seven wonders of ancient world. It is one of the greatest architectural structures made by man and is the oldest about 5000 years ago. It is only wonder present amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. The pyramids in Giza mainly includes 3 pyramids viz. the Great Pyramid of Khufu(or Cheops), the Pyramid of Kafhre and the smaller Pyramid of Menkaura.

Each pyramid is dedicated to a king of Egypt. The Sphinx lies in the front also called Abu al – Hol in Arabic which means “Father of Terror”. The entrance of the pyramid is north facing and placed at a great height. The entrance is also connected to a passageway which slide down 191 ft through the pyramid into an underground chamber.

This passage takes a person to Grand Gallery which ultimately leads to the Pharaoh’s Chamber. It is built with red granite, and it is believed that the pyramid was constructed around the sarcophagus. Airshafts were also explored in the pyramids. The four airshafts were considered as the “escape routes” for the Pharaoh’s soul. Two of the airshaft directs to Orion and the other two direct towards the polar stars.

Initially, the Great Pyramid of Giza was

constructed to display Egypt’s wealth and power but at present the pyramids are a symbol depicts Egypt’s rich history and culture. The Great Pyramid of Giza is a witness to the Intelligence and technological advancement of Egypt’s ancient civilization.

The Interesting Facts1. The pyramid is constructed with about

2,30,000 stone blocks with weight of 2-30 tons and some even weigh upto 70 tons.

2. Two types of limestones were used in pyramid construction. The core blocks were made by soft limestone and a hard white limestone was used for the mantle.

3. The Great Pyramid could be seen from the mountains of Isarel and even moon due to its mantle.

4. The Pyramid is located at the centre of the land mass of the earth.

5. The cornerstone present in the pyramid have ball and socket which have the capability to deal with heat expansion and earthquakes.

ADVENTUROUS EGYPTIt is on the best of destination for adventure lovers. Egypt award tourists with exciting sports like quad biking in eastern desert, rambling the Sinai Mountains and camping in the white desert. Another thrilling and miraculous adventurous sport to explore in Egypt is diving. Diving through the coasts of Egypt an individual can feel the underwater wealth of undersea life. The exceptional underwater living can be discovered by means of German submarine. Kite surfing in Safaga offers immense fun.

Abu SimbelAbu Simbel is the most well known

monument of ancient Egypt after The Great Pyramids of Egypt. Words can't explain the amazing view when you see the marvelous sunrise upon Abu Simbel temple every day.

The most spectacular feature about this monument is that it is built on the solid rocks above the banks of Nile River between the first and second cataracts. A beautiful sound and light show is played daily. In addition, Abu Simbel festival takes place twice a year in February and October. The natural sunlight and excellent architecture lights up the temple.

It’s a breathtaking sight and the music, dance and food completely complements the festival and creates a beautiful environment. Abu Simbel is located near the Egyptian border with Sudan. The closest town to the temple is Aswan. The best way to reach Abu Simbel is by boat.

Interesting Facts:1. The Abu Simbel Temple is made of

two individual temples which were build during the rule of King Ramses II in 1200 B.C. One temple is dedicated to King Ramses II and second one to his wife Queen Nefertari.

2. The Nefertari Hotel is the closest to Abu Simbel Temple and is located at a walking distance.


taLkiNGtecHnoLoGy08

KS Unité, a conglomerate comprising internationally acclaimed brands whish are

making a mark worldwide with a complete range of specialized services to cater to the diversified requirements of its clients. An International Turnkey Consultancy in Africa is how the organization commenced operations over a decade ago and went from one successful step to another. We, with our various verticals, try to touch the important sectors and provide the best possible solutions.

The assemblage has set a bold target of creating a niche for itself in international business by focusing on resource optimization through state of art and futuristic businesss solutions. It is proud to have earned the patronage from many African countries and strived to add many more to its customer base.

Different VerticalsLESDEP

Commenced in 2010; LESDEP, a Skills Center Project, emanated from public-private partnership

We WorK FASt, commuNicAte AND coNNect FASter

Aligning opportunitieS to SucceSS

KS unite

under the patronage of relevant African ministries of vocational training, skill development, empowerment, human resource and rural development that seek to facilitate the acquisition of technical and entrepreneurial skills among youth within the country.

IndocorpIndocorp has been

incorporated as the mainline business vertical rendering Turnkey Consultancy and complete related services for Springboard Enterprises India Ltd. With head office in New Delhi, we have initiated our presence in Africa with the Ghana, West Africa branch. We are currently establishing other offices as well in the continent for operational efficiency.

Commencing operations in August, 2005, Indocorp, an ISO 9001:2000 certified company; has added milestones in its journey towards professional excellence. Our broad, interesting and varied experiences have taught

us that the only way to achieve perfection in action is to deliver the best possible solutions time and time again, no matter what the conditions are. And, this has carried us far in our endeavors. Incubator cum Training Center

& Skill Development Institutes SKD Tractor Assembly Plant Waste Management Fibre lining of wooden canoes Plastic Recycling Food Processing Fruit Juice Processing Unit Jute Bag Plant Modernizing the Fishing

IndustrySolar EnergyPorts, Harbours & Inland

WaterwaysWaste Recycling Plant

K.S.InfosystemsDedicated to deliver effective

ICT solutions at extreme peripherals, we, KS Infosystems Private Limited, the IT and Communication faction of KS Unite, have been able to gain immense accolades for providing IT, AV and security solutions to the

corporate world, governmental organizations, banking & financial industries, since 2000. Municipal Revenue Collection Telecom Revenue Monitoring Crowd Management Tourism Revenue Collection Bio-Metric & Smart CardBased

Payroll Systems ICT Hub (Computer Community

Centre) Integrated Customs Processes Vehicle Tracking Video Conferencing E-Classroom Setting up TV Station

Heal&BlissMedical Tourism is one such

aspect that is growing rapidly in India and helping the patients from other countries to attain the best facilities along with a better and improved health conditions. Therefore, Heal '&' Bliss continues to provide world class health care with the superb accommodations and thus strengthening the relations between Africa n countries and India. Heal '&' Bliss has always & continues to project sincere efforts for public health intervention so as to improve health and quality of life through the prevention and treatment of disease and other physical and mental health conditions, through surveillance of cases and the promotion of healthy behaviors. Patient referral for Medical

Tourism Setting up of Diagnostic Centres

& Hospitals Setting up of Telemedicine

Facilities

Establishing of Super Specialty Hospital

Wellness Centre

CADD CentreComputer Aided Designing,

Drafting and Manufacturing (CAD, CAM and CAE) courses are offered by CADD Centre, Rohini which is a network centre of CADD Centre, Chennai. CADD Centre offers industry specific courses in following engineering Streams:• Mechanical• Civil• Electrical• Architectural•Project Planning and Management

KS AcademyKIMMS a brand of KS Academy

is an institute with a truly global outlook. The institute provides a learning platform that promotes innovation, leadership and academic research. The institute offers an atmosphere for change, engaging in ongoing dialogue with students and companies to identify emerging strategic issues as well as research and hiring needs. There is a need to develop readily “Employable” trained and qualified manpower in various sectors of technology.

Contact Details2nd Floor,Garg Shopping Mall,Plot No. 7,8,9, Opp. Sector-11 ,Rohini Phase-II Delhi-110085 IndiaTel : +91 11 47514751,Fax: +91 11 47514752Email: [email protected] Conakry, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, U.A.E., Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, The Gambia, Togo, Kenya, Tanzania, Niger, Zambia, DR Congo, Singapore


trysomethiNGNeW 09

ingredients2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes or 2 1/2 lbs

yams, peeled 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 5 eggs, lightly beaten Canola oil

prepration Method1. Loosely grate potatoes in food processor

and place in mixing bowl.

2. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

UPCOMING

Fight the elephant, and not his shadow

tHougHt oFtHe WeeK

India Ideas Conclave – 2014

“India Ideas Conclave – 2014” is India’s most eclectic and thought-provoking platform for global thought leaders and renowned subject matter experts to discuss cutting edge ideas in various fields of human development. The Conclave will bring together brilliant minds across all disciplines that impact human affairs.

Date: 19 – 21 December, 2014 Venue: Hotel Park Hyatt, Goa

Techcircle Startup 2014

Whooping thrill and excitement among the startup ecosystem in India has witnessed euphoria among angel & venture capital investors, pool of local talent, scores of mentors, incubators & accelerators. To capture the latest and lasting excitement in the Indian tech ecosystem, Techcircle presents Techcircle Startup 2014 in Mumbai, which comes across as a breeding ground for entrepreneurs, early stage adopters and investors coming from diversified industry background & geographies.

Date: 17 Dec, 2014 Venue: The Lalit, Mumbai

APQI National Seminar on Total Power Quality Management

Asia Power Quality Initiative (APQI) is organizing its 20th seminar on “Total Power Quality Management”. The one day application oriented technical seminar is designed to develop a basic understanding of important power quality issues prevailing in the Industry identify different categories of PQ incidents, methods for analyzing these problems and their possible solutions. The target groups are Electrical Engineer, practicing engineers/utility managers in core process sectors, infrastructure sector, telecom, IT/ITES industry, Policy makers, consultants, etc.

Date: 18th December 2014 Venue: Hotel fortune Land Mark, Indore

Connect 2014

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has been organizing CONNECT Event in Chennai for the past 12 years. The Connect series has been the forum for Indian ICT Industry to confer on latest trends & developments. This premier annual Conference cum Exposition on Information and Communication Technology has been focusing on Tamil Nadu’s growth in ICT Sector. With over 50 billion devices expected to be connected by 2020, the digital infrastructure will transform and revolutionize the world around us.

Date: 15- 16 Dec, 2014 Venue: Hotel ITC Grand Chola, Rajendra Hall, Guindy, 63, Mount Road, Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

The Ambassador-Designate of Egypt, Mr. Hatem El Sayed Tageldin presenting his credential to the President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on December 09, 2014.

piCture oF the week

3. Mix in eggs.

4. Cover and refrigerate (up to 4 hours) until time to fry.

5. In large non-stick skillet, heat enough oil to cover bottom of the pan.

6. Spoon out the batter into pan, being careful not to crowd.

7. Cook until crisp and brown on one side, then turn and fry on other side.

8. Keep finished pancakes warm in oven until all pancakes are fried.

9. Drain on paper towels.Unique pancakes to try out

1. they reduce heart attack risk

Those who consume nuts five times a week have about a 50 percent reduction in risk of heart attack according to the Loma Linda School of Public Health.

2. they lower ‘bad’ cholesterol

Almonds added to the diet have a favorable effect on blood cholesterol levels, according to a clinical study by Dr. Gene Spiller, Director of the Health Research and Studies Center, Inc.

3. they protects artery walls from damage

It was found that the flavonoids in almond skins work in synergy with the vitamin E, thus reducing the risk of heart disease (Research at Tufts University).

4. Almonds help build strong bones and teeth

The phosphorus in almonds helps

• It is better toapply castoroil for ahealthygrowthofhair.

• Washhairwithteaonceinaweek.• Applybesaninthehairandwashit

withwaterdrainedfromthecookedrice.

• Soak a handful of gooseberries inacupofmilkfortwohours.Makeapasteandapplyonthehair.

• Apply themixtureofaneggwhite,2 spoons of castor oil, 1 spoonglycerin,inthescalpandhair.Washitaftersometime.

• Massagehairwithwarmcoconutoilanhourbeforewashing.Letitsoak.Cover your head with a hot towelandwashyourhairafteranhourorso.

• Boil a few hibiscus flowers incoconutoil.Filteranduse thishairoiltocontrolhairlossandthinning.

• Do a 'steam-towel-wrap' once in awhile,ifyourcuticlesaredamaged,as this steaming opens out the

make this possible.

5. they provide healthy fats and aid in weight loss

Although nuts are high in fat, frequent nut eaters are thinner on average than those who almost never consume nuts. Those who ate nuts at least two times per week were 31 percent less likely to gain weight than were those who never or seldom ate them in a study involving 8865 adults.

6. they help provide good brain function

Almonds contain riboflavin and L-carnitine, nutrients that boost brain activity and may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

7. they nourish the nervous system

According to Ayurveda, almonds help increase high intellectual level and longevity.

8. they alkalize the body

Almonds are the only nut and one of the few proteins that are alkaline forming. When your body is not alkaline enough, you risk osteoporosis, poor immune function, low energy and weight gain.

African Sweet potato pancakes

HealtH benefits of Almonds

the Wodaabe people do not name their children until they reach twelve years old.

8poresandabsorbstheoil.

• Soak 1 teaspoon fenugreek in curdandkeepitforanight.Applyitinthenextmorning.

• Boil coconut oil with the juices ofcurry leaves, basil, hibiscus flowerandgooseberry.Applyonhair,keepitforsometimeandrinse.

• Takeacupeachcoconutandmustardoil.Soakhalfacupofcurryleavesintheoilmixtureandkeepitforanight.Nextmorning,heatonaslowfiretillthecurry leaves turn crisp.Removefrom heat and add two to threecamphorballs.Allowoil to cool andthen strain. Apply oil to hair rootsusing cotton wool along the partingandmassageincircularmovements.Leavetheoilovernightandshampoothe next morning. Repeat twice aweek.

• Addalemonpeeltoa'shikakai'and'amla' mixture while washing yourhair.

Niger

Different ways to

keep hAir shiny And

heAlthy


thefasHionistas10

After 63 days of living in a confined house, Tanzania's Idris has emerged winner of this year's Big Brother Africa (Hotshots) reality show.

He amassed the highest number of votes to beat seven other finalists, JJ (Zimbabwe), Tayo (Nigeria), Butterphly (Zimbabwe), Macky2 (Zambia), Sipe (Malawi), Nhlanhla (South Africa) and Ghana's M'am Bea to the title.

Idris thus wins the jackpot prize of $300,000 and the title as winner of the shortest season of the reality show with featured 26 housemates.

The finale night kicked off with an impressive performance from some evicted housemates of this season's show. After a recap of the final week and exciting moments of this year's show, and also the housemates presenting their last task extravaganza performance, host of the show, IK got down to business.

Butterphly and M'am Bea saw

Dr Thomas Muyombo aka Tom Close wowed concert goers at Kigali Serena Hotel, as he launched two new albums- Ihogora and Isi.

Music lovers from all over Kigali turned up in big numbers to enjoy the concert that started at 6pm.

The concert started with energetic performances by some of the country’s talented musicians such as Gaby Umutware, Peace Jolis and Hope Irakoze, the winner of Tusker Project Fame season 6, (TPF6). Umutware hit the stage first, performing his single Ayo bavuga. He was followed by Peace who was backed by Sauti Band. Irakoze rocked the stage with his powerful voice before teaming up with Peace for a duet.

Kina Music artistes Christopher Muneza, Dream Boys and Knowless also delivered energetic performances. Donning traditional Rwandan outfit, Muneza performed two singles, Agatima and Babyumva, while the

Tanzania's Idris wins BBA (Hotshots), Ghana loses out againtheir hopes of winning the money dashed as they became the first two of the final eight housemates to be evicted. M'am Bea's eviction meant that Ghana has to again wait for another year to see if her dream of winning the reality show for the first time will ever come to pass.

Last year, Elikem Kumordzie became the first Ghanaian to reach the reality show's finale. He emerged third in the Big Brother Africa (The Chase) reality show .

M'am Bea: I have done so wellGhana's two representatives -

Kacey Moore and M'am Bea - for this season's show were selected to represent the country through a special audition in South Africa. Organizers, Endemol selected representatives for Ghana in South Africa due to challenges with visa acquisition by the four Ghanaians selected in the Accra auditions .

The decision to select the Ghanaian candidates from South Africa generated a huge public

debate with many concluding that the country's representative will not be Ghanaian enough.

But making it to finale, M'am Bea, in spite of losing out on the grand prize believes that she has done very well.

The 25-year-old Ghanaian fashion designer told IK after her eviction that: “I think I have done so well. One thing I can say is I thank God for bringing me this far.”

M'am Bea was known as the mother of the house for her tender caring love and her passion for cooking. This, she said is due to the fact that, she has “a caring heart” a trait she picked from her mother.

Housemates JJ, Sipe, Nhlanhla and Macky2 were evicted subsequently leaving Tanzania's Idris and Nigeria's Tayo having their eyes on the grand prize.

After those evictions, Tayo and Idris were asked to report to the Diary Room where Big Brother, in a bid to calm their nerves, had a chit-chat with them and wished

Mzvee took the centre stage to entertain guests at the launch in Accra of adidas, the leading

global sports retailer. MzVee shot to fame with her smash single 'Natural Girl' and followed it up with hit collaborations with Shatta Wale, Stone Buoy and Lazy of VVIP.

The reigning dancehall queen of Ghana performed some of the songs that made her the toast of music fans currently.

The adidas launch saw the grandpapa of Hiplife Reggie Rockstone, D-Black, former Black Stars skipper Rev. Osei Kofi, Coach Ibrahim Sunday and some Ghanaian celebrities in attendance.

The guest of honor was the Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports, Hon. Vincent Oppong-Asamoah.

The Senior New Business Development Manager of adidas Africa, Astrud Meintjes expressed delight over their entry into the Ghanaian market, which represents a new era for the brand's expansion into more African countries.

'The stores in Ghana rival some of the best in Cape Town, Johannesburg and I dare say some European countries, offering a fusion of performance and style items that will revolutionize the consumer experience of Ghanaians.'

Modern Ghana

mzVee shines at adidas Launch

them well.In the midst of fireworks, the

two remaining housemates were rushed to evictions stage in a stretch limo. When they appeared on stage, Tayo disclosed that if he emerges winner, he will use the money to pay his tithe and also pay the bride price of the woman in his life.

Idris, on the other hand said

if he wins the money, “ I will give it back to Africa, since the money came from Africa,”

After a few nerve-racking moments, IK declared Idris as the winner of this season's show and as soon as that declaration was made, other housemates rushed to hug and congratulate him.

A very elated Idris simply told IK “I'm exhausted. It's been a long way.”

Modern Ghana

Tom Close puts up a spectacular performance

duo of Dream Boys sang Uzahahe uronke. The crowd danced and chanted along. With his stylish outfit, beautiful sound, Tom Close, as he is affectionately known, kept the crowd on its feet. He gave a lively and entertaining 45-minute performance before making way again for the curtain-raisers. Tom Close was backed by the Nyundo School of Arts’ (WDA) band and the dancers. Other highlights of the evening included a comedy performance by Gilles Julius Niyitejeka. The 17-year-old presented unique and exciting jokes. At some point, Niyitejeka

mimicked show-biz personalities and left the audience in a rib cracking laughter.

The Ndacyagukunda singer said he was delighted after staging a successful concert.

“We prepared for a month. I am grateful for the fans and artists and sponsors that helped. I wouldn’t have achieved much by myself. I always kept in touch with the fans and it has paid off,” he said.

The concert also featured performances by Jules Sentore, Mani Martin, Jean-Claude, Michel Ngabo, and Cyusa.

New Times

MzVee


sPorts2WatCh 11

Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports, Hon. Vincent Oppong-Asamoah has

praised global sports kit maker, adidas, for supporting Ghana's sports development over the years.

He revealed that some of Ghana's greatest accomplishments in football and other sporting disciplines on the world stage were achieved with the players wearing adidas jerseys.

The deputy minister made these remarks at the launch in Accra of adidas, the leading global sports retailer.

In attendance were former Black Stars skipper Rev. Osei Kofi, Coach Ibrahim Sunday and some Ghanaian celebrities.

Hon. Vincent Oppong- Asamoah, who was the guest of honour, said: 'In the 1990s especially, the Black Stars were kitted by adidas and when Ghana

AC Milan midfielder Michael Essien has his say on Chelsea's chances of winning the Premier League title.

Jose Mourinho's side suffered their first loss in the Premier League this season when they went down 2-1 to the Magpies at St. James' Park.

"It's too early to say they are racing to the Premier League but they have put themselves in a good position. I am sure they know nothing is won in December so

minister Lauds Adidas Mukunzi wins best bowler award at African tourney

Blue heart: "new" Chelsea a delight to watch- essien

made exploits on the world stage, when Samuel Osei Kuffour and his Black Starlets teammates won the FIFA Under-17 Championship in Italy 23 years ago, they did so wearing adidas'.

He recounted how Ghana became the first African country to win an Olympic medal, after the Black Meteors won bronze at the

Barcelona Olympics.'Three years later, Coach Sam

Arday led the Starlets to conquer the world wearing adidas jersey and boots.'

The Retail Director of adidas Africa, Warren Bowers said, 'Ghana as one of Africa's most stable governments, has witnessed a growing economy and increased spending power, with the Ghanaian consumer becoming more sophisticated and opting for quality consumer goods, now more than ever before. This has attracted many foreign retailers to Ghana, who view the current modern retail penetration levels as an opportunity to offer the Ghanaian consumer world class goods and services'.

The Nester square store opened for operation on Monday 1st December.

Modern Ghana

Rwanda’s Betty Mukunzi was named the best bowler at the just concluded ICC Africa U-19 girls’ tournament in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The medium pace bowler picked nine wickets at the continental showpiece against Botswana (three), Mozambique (three) Uganda (two) and Tanzania (one). It was Rwanda’s only award at the three-day competition.

Rwanda finished in fifth position with four points after two wins and three losses same as Botswana, however, the latter had a better net run rate of 0.1183 as compared to Rwanda’s -0.5562.

“The games were really tough but the girls worked hard. It was a very good competition for our young players,” explained Joshua Mwanja,

Rwanda’s head coach.Rwanda defeated Botswana by five

wickets and won against Mozambique by 19 runs but struggled against eventual champions Uganda losing by 16 runs.

Captain Sarah Uwera was Rwanda’s highest runs scorer with 43 while Marie Raphaella Ganimana (38), Diane Bimenyimana (33) and Egidie Uwimana added 21 runs.

Against Kenya in the opening game, a side Rwanda defeated at last year’s edition, the latter lost by 66 runs. The national side was also defeated by hosts Tanzania by five runs.

Despite losing to Botswana, Uganda retained the continental title, which they have won for five years in a row. Kenya finished in second place. Both had eight points but Uganda (1.6069) had a better net run rate that Kenya’s 1.0500.

Tanzania finished third while winless Mozambique was the sixth.

New Times

Hon. Vincent Oppong-Asamoah, Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports, Ghana

they will keep going till the end," Essien said.

"It's a totally different team [to our team] as we were a destructive team. We had some flair players but not as many as the current team, and what we did well was destroy teams and made sure you never had a sniff of a chance."

He added: "This team will get there at some point but they are a delight to watch and I am sure Chelsea fans are loving their play."

Modern GhanaMichael Essien


eNCouNteR WitH eDitor12

Owner / Publisher / Editor: Mr. Kirit Sobti from 3rd Floor, Plot No. 3, Block PSP-IV, Service Centre Opp. Sector-11 (Extn.), Rohini, Delhi-85Printed at LIPEE SCAN PVT. LTD. 89 DSIDC SHED Okhala Phase 1, New Delhi

What is the main objective of Africa CEO forum? Enlighten us with some of the highlights & achievements of the Forum.

Since its inception in 2012, the AFRICA CEO FORUM has established itself as the unparalleled international event devoted to promoting the African private sector. As such, each year, the event brings together top African and international CEOs and investors, to discuss African private sector’s growth strategies and to network.

The previous edition of the forum was a resounding success; it has gathered more than 700 participants, including 500 CEOs, 57 countries represented among which 38 African countries.

Competitiveness, local processing, intra-African investment and, indeed, Africa’s financial capacity were all on the agenda of the previous edition. The proceedings were rich, intense and substantive. The discussions represented a more clear-headed and measured response to Africa’s growth and attractiveness and brought concrete solutions to our participants. Based on the success of the previous forum, the participants have requested unanimously that the discussions initiated in this pan-African setting - which is particularly conducive to business networking - be continued next year at the AFRICA CEO FORUM 2015.

In your perspective, which are those sectors who have alluring aspects in terms of investment in Africa?

Well, you have so many of them. Firstly, I would say the “matures” sectors such as Oil & Gas, mining, construction and banking. Then, for over 10 years, with the continent fast-paced development, new sectors have emerged and have been particularly alluring for investors such as ICT, real estate and also agro-industry, where more and more international groups have found fertile grounds for investments in Africa. More recently, you have the consumer goods and retail sector, answering the needs of the booming African middle class.

This forum is one of the grand events having widest wings around the globe. What opportunities participants can entail and how it can drive the economic force of the continent.

The AFRICA CEO FORUM is a unique opportunity for participants to network with top African and international chief executives, find new financial partners by meeting the most influent bankers

and investors on the continent, promote their businesses in Africa and abroad, challenge their knowledge on the latest business practices in their industry, and most importantly, be driving forces to Africa’s growth. The programme for the 2015 AFRICA CEO FORUM is designed to foster debate on the strategic priorities of African businesses. The purpose is to share concrete solutions to promote the development and emergence of a strong

African private sector that create jobs and is capable of successfully competing in the international arena.

Africa CEO forum mainly emphasizes on the African private sector. In your view, how can the public policies

assist in developing Africa’s Private sector?

The public authorities are at the heart of Africa’s development. Hence, they must garner national consensus by supporting the implementation of targeted policies to support the private sector; such as protectionism measures, local content policies, and developing state capitalism for growth and job creation. In this regard, the AFRICA

CEO FORUM is the premier arena for a constructive dialogue between public decision makers and the private sector. For this third edition, three major international institutions have decided to strengthen their partnership with the AFRICA CEO FORUM in order to enhance their relationship with the African private sector: The IFC - International Finance Corporation - which is part of the World Bank Group and focuses on investment in the private sector, the UNECA - United Nations Economic Commission for Africa - and the PTA Trade and Development Bank, which is the financial and investment arm of COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa)

The forum scheduled to be held in Geneva is home to the headquarters of many international organizations, including the United Nations Organization and the World Trade Organization amongst others. Do you think it will influence the traffic of participants and how?

Yes indeed. We chose on purpose to settle on a territory that benefits from an international aura and which is headquarters to prestigious international institutions. Furthermore, it is a neutral place, which is important to us. As a central location, Geneva is also the ideal place for international travels of the CEOs attending the event.

tHe purpoSe iS to SHAre coNcrete SoLutioNS

Do you want to ripen your business, outline your approach and enrich your company’s attractiveness? An exclusive podium for thought-provoking deliberations, the AFRICA CEO FORUM is an outstanding opportunity given to companies and investors whose strategy shows their willpower to take part in Africa’s vibrant growth. The President of Africa CEO Forum goes candid with INDO AFRICA TIMES and talked over the anticipated upshot from its third edition.

Amir Ben yahmed President of the Africa CEO Forum


News & Politics

Volume 1 issue 49