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TUNISIA HOPES FOR A NEW ERA OF HARMONY
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MONDAY | DECEMBER 29, 2014 Title Code: DELENG18579 • RNI NO: DELENG/2014/54666 • Postal Registration No.: DN/325/2014-2016 • VOL. 1 • NO. 51 • Page 12 • Price `10
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Victoria Falls tourism future looks very bright
A FRUITFUL INVESTMENT HOTSPOT:SOUTH SUDAN
THE DELIGHTFUL DELHI
MKU – EVOLVING MODERN DAY WARFARE
It's broadly deliberated the single place in which seeds planted during the "Arab Spring" may have grown into the first sprouts of democracy. And now, Tunisia formally has a new president-elect.
Essebsi, 88, was avowed the winner of the run-off presidential elections in Tunisia, over his challenger interim president Moncef Marzouki.
The Independent High Authority for Elections announced that over 1.7 million Tunisians voted for Nidaa Tounes party leader Essebsi while 1.37 million voted for Marzouki.
The turnout reached 60.11% of registered voters, the authority’s declaration read. Mr. Essebsi received 55.7 percent of the vote, and his rival, the interim president, Moncef Marzouki, got 44.3 percent in the election, the commission reported.
The election was being seen as a critical point for democracy in the North African nation, which is also the birthplace of the Arab Spring, the elections also sets Tunisia apart from its neighbours such as Egypt and Libya where unrest continues despite popular uprisings
Tunisian Politician Beji Caid Essebsi Wins Country’s First Free Presidential Vote
Ethiopia joins
hands with Ericsson
Wassupafrica02
Local developers get boost as Airtel launches apps store
Urwego secures Rwf1b loan from BRD to fund SMEs
Local content developers in Rwanda have a great opportunity to market their innovations (applications) following the launch of Airtel app store.
“We want to ensure customers access locally-relevant mobile applications and also drive the local application development industry by empowering talented developers in the country,” Teddy Bhullar, the Airtel Rwanda
Managing Director, said in a statement.
He added that customers can buy the apps using their mobile phones at affordable rates. The Airtel apps store consists of free and premium applications, and it is available for all phones using Android, Blackberry, Java, Symbian and Windows operating systems.
In addition to being able to buy the applications, customers can
Urwego Opportunity Bank has secured a Rwf1 billion short-term loan from Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) to finance small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs).
The one year funding is hoped to ease access to affordable credit and ultimately boost economic growth, Alex Kanyankole, the BRD Chief Executive Officer, said.
“Our objective is to serve all the segments of the market… We are confident that this partnership will enable Urwego Bank finance SMEs that BRD has not been able to serve,” Kanyankole said during the signing ceremony of the credit refinancing agreement.
“Our ultimate objective is to ensure that people access affordable credit, while the lender also makes a profit. This is how we shall be able to
also-browse, preview, rate, report, comment, recommend, blog, download and games.
Clarisse Iribagiza, the chief executive officer of HeHe Limited, a Kigali-based mobile technologies company, said the store will give application developers a ready market, and also enable people access local content. The telecom will be the first company in the country to open an app store.
Software developers have in the past had to sell their applications through Google’s Android app store, Playstore.
With the recent launch of fourth generation long-term evolution (4G LTE) Internet, users will be able to benefit from fast upload and download speeds.
New Times
Public-private partnerships key in agric transformationGovernment and the
private sector should work together to enhance
the agriculture sector and agribusiness development in the country, Attaher Maiga, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) representative in Rwanda, has said.
Maiga noted that the move could attract more investments into the agriculture industry.
“It is essential to boost the capacity of agro-enterprises and farmer organisations. There is also need to engage public and private sectors to develop uniform strategies that promote agribusiness investment to increase productivity and the country’s growth,” Maiga said.
Maiga was speaking during an East Africa Community and FAO regional workshop on agribusiness and agro-industry investment promotion in Kigali.
The workshop attracted over 30 agro-economists, experts and dealers from across the region.
“Public-private partnerships are critical to attract investments in the agriculture sector... We urge stakeholders across the region to work together and devise mechanisms that support agribusiness in the region,” Maiga said.
He noted that the increasing global demand for high-value agricultural products presents
private investors a lot of opportunities to expand their enterprises. He however decried the low investment into the sector, saying this is affecting agriculture industry’s growth.
Emmanuel Kamugisha, the agriculture and food security officer at the Rwanda Ministry of East African Community Affairs, said efforts to step up agribusiness support were ongoing.
“We want to increase knowledge on appropriate methodologies and tools that we can adapt to promote investment into the agriculture sector,
especially value addition and other activities along the value chain,” Kamugisha said.
However, it is also important to understand the sector needs and identify challenges in the
boost financial inclusion.”Though he did not
disclose the interest rate, the BRD boss said the agreement answers the question of affordable finance.
Emmanuel Mawocha Tineyi, the Urwego Opportunity Bank chief executive officer, said they are targeting over 100,000 SME operators, especially farmers. He said the facility will make it possible for the bank to double the number of farmers it is serving to about 80,000 from the current 40,000 agribusiness operators.
It will also help complement the bank’s efforts to expand its outreach, he added. “We will be able to scale up products relevant to clients needs. We are yet to open more branches in
Rubavu and Karongi districts, therefore this line of credit will complement the ongoing efforts to expand our reach,” Tineyi added.
Recently, BRD signed a Rwf8 billion long-term loan agreement with Rwanda Mountain Tea for the construction of a 4MW hydro-power plant (Giciye II) in Nyabihu District, Northern Province.
New Times
Ghana's mobile market grows 6.8% in 10 months
Mobile voice subscription figures recorded a 6.81% cumulative growth for the first 10 months of this year to reach nearly 30 million, National Communication Authority data has shown.
Between January and October this year, mobile network operators added a little above 1.57 million new voice lines to their networks as they prepare for slowing growth and a renewed focus on customer retention and value-added services.
According to the latest NCA figures, the total mobile voice subscription number as at October is more than 29.99 million and it is believed to have surpassed the 30 million mark in November.
The October figure puts mobile voice penetration rate at 114%, making Ghana one of the few countries in Africa with mobile voice adoption rate surpassing the 100 percent mark.
In theory, the current subscription number, which is more than Ghana's population of little over 26 shows that there more potential customers for cellphones - which may not be a good sign for cellphone dealers in the country.
Some mobile network operators contend that the subscription figures in Ghana is highly overrated due to the challenge of "multi-simming", which happens when one subscriber owns more than one SIM card.
Network operators have thus called for concerted efforts to deepen
the business operating environment to bring communication services to a lot more people as the current subscription numbers send a wrong signal as to the actual number of people who have access to communication services.
As of the end of October this year, MTN still controlled 44.94% of the market - even though it its subscriber numbers decreased marginally from the 13,546,678 at end-September to finish October at 13, 412, 525.
Vodafone's subscriber base increased from 6,870, 223 to 7, 128 764, which pegs Vodafone's market share as of October at 23.04%.
Similarly, tiGO, which now boasts a 13.53% market share, recorded an increase in its subscriber base from the September figure of 4,012,580 to end October at 4,056,322.
Airtel on the other hand witnessed a decrease in its subscriber base of 1.3% from the previous month. The subscriber base of the telecom services provider decreased from 3,790,636 to 3,142,910 in the period under review.
Glo also suffered a dip in subscriber base. Its share decreased from the September figure of 1,474,988 to 1,465,829 by close of October 2014 - representing a market share of 4.89%.
In the case of Expresso, its subscriber base went down from 120,108 in September to 118,171 by close of October, representing a market share of 0.54%.
Modern Ghana
value chain to be able to come up with the appropriate investment strategies, he added.
Innocent Musabyimana, the Ministry of Agriculture permanent secretary, said the size of the agricultural market in Africa is about $68.2 billion annually (and still growing).
“Therefore, we should improve agriculture to benefit from this growing demand,” he said.
According to Musabyimana, embracing value addition is key to increase the competitiveness of the country’s agriculture exports.
Sector experts, say EAC partner
states need to define individual national goals and agribusiness investment promotion strategies reap from growing global food market.
New Times
MONDAY | DECEMBER 29, 2014
Wassupafrica 03
FRoM page 01
The EIU study, entitled GCCTrade and Investment Flows, explores the GCC’s economic ties with each world region and identifies major growth drivers.
Key findings show the GCC’s push into Africa is broadening by sector and geographical location. From telecommunications and private equity in West Africa to energy projects in South Africa and Mozambique, investment flows are diversifying.
Opportunities in infrastructure are a primary growth driver, where, according to World Bank estimates, US$96 billion a year is required to bridge the gap, while fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) is one of the fastest-emerging opportunities on the continent, driven by increased spending power and rising consumer needs.
Findings show Dubai and the UAE as a major trade and investment partner across the African continent. This year, the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) signed a US$300M agreement with Dangote Cement in West Africa and bought a significant stake in Kerzner International.
2014 also saw Dubai-based Jumeirah Group expand operations into North Africa with a management agreement in Mauritius and the recent deal between Emirates Airline (which already operates more than 160
Trade between Gulf States and Africa RisingZimbabwe's Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Walter Mzembi, has endorsed Africa Albida Tourism's investments in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, as fitting his vision to boost infrastructure to vastly grow the tourist attraction's economy to $30 billion a year. Mzembi was speaking at the 20th anniversary celebrations of Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, which was attended by more than 200 local and regional tourism operators.
Africa Albida Tourism, the parent company of Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, has invested heavily in its properties over the last three years, and work has begun on Santonga, an $18 million education, entertainment and conservation park, which will interactively tell the story of Victoria Falls.
The new $150 million Victoria Falls International Airport, due to open next August, which will triple capacity, would be a big player in boosting earnings to $30 billion a year, to match Niagara Falls, Mzembi said. Tourism would become the catalyst for the economic turnaround of Zimbabwe, and the Minister hoped to kick start earnings by declaring Victoria Falls a special economic zone, which he described as a tax haven.
He appealed to local operators to provide input on how to shape his proposal, which could transform Victoria Falls from its current $1 billion a year economy between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Mzembi is due to report back to Cabinet next month.
In addition to the special economic zone, the Minister hoped to create an "ultra-modern" Victoria Falls on 300ha adjacent to the airport, to boost infrastructure and therefore earnings.
However, the Minister gave assurances the actual Falls and their immediate surroundings would remain natural and untouched.
Africa Albida Tourism Chief Executive
Zimbabwe Tourism Minister on investment: Victoria Falls tourism future looks very bright
Ross Kennedy said despite several tough years for the tourism industry, he believed the future of tourism at Victoria Falls and in Zimbabwe was extremely bright.
The Victoria Falls Safari Lodge 20th anniversary four-day celebrations included an Amazing Race, in which six teams completed challenges at different sites in Victoria Falls, such as learning a traditional dance routine and solving a crime scene. It was won by Team Lokuthula.
The guests also enjoyed the Lodge's daily vulture culture experience, as well as local delicacies, dancing and drumming at The Boma - Place of Eating, and dinner at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge's MaKuwa-Kuwa Restaurant to the sounds of the Detema Jazz Band. A cruise along the Zambezi River was also part of the programme, and before guests departed they went on a tour of the Victoria Falls International Airport under construction, which is expected to change the face of the region.
Ground work began at Santonga, to be built on 80ha near Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, last month. The education, entertainment and conservation park, which is expected to draw 120,000 visitors a year, is due to open in June 2016.
eTurbo News
flights a week to Africa) and TAAG Angola Airlines will improve connections to Central and South Africa.
In addition, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts has signed its first Memorandum of Guidance with their counterparts in the High Court of Kenya advancing legal
structures and enabling more confident investing.
With robust infrastructure, geographic location and global connectivity, Dubai acts as a strategic and world-class hub for doing business with Africa.
The emirate not only facilitates trade and investment flows into and out of the continent, it provides a stable and secure base from which global firms can operate.
The findings follow the success of the 2nd Africa Global Business Forum (AGBF), held in Dubai
earlier this year and organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which was attended by more than 1000 delegates from 62 countries where discussions focused on encouraging investment opportunities and promoting sustainable development across Africa. GCC Trade and Investment Flows is an Economist Intelligence
Unit report based on desk research and interviews with experts, conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit in conjunction with Falcon and Associates. Economist Intelligence Unit is the world leader in global business intelligence. It is the business-to-business arm of The Economist Group, which publishes The Economist newspaper. The Economist Intelligence Unit helps executives make better decisions by providing timely, reliable and impartial analysis
on worldwide market trends and business strategies
Falcon and Associates FZ-LLC is strategic advisory company working on behalf of the Dubai leadership. We build on the emirate’s many successes to date by identifying and implementing new opportunities to help Dubai fulfil its long-term potential, partnering with businesses and government departments to deliver specific social, economic and trade-related goals.
Ghanaian Chronicle
that overthrew dictators Hosni Mubarak and Moammar Gadhafi, respectively, in 2011.
Mr. Essebsi served as Interior Minister under Tunisia’s repressive first president, Habib Bourguiba, and as speaker of Parliament under Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, who was expelled in 2011. Despite links to the country’s controlling past, he served as interim Prime Minister after the revolution and led the country into its first free and democratic elections for the National Constituent Assembly in 2011.
Mr. Marzouki accepted his downfall through a message on Facebook. His campaign manager, Adnen Mansour, posted a message saying that Mr Marzouki had congratulated Mr Essebsi.
Mr Marzouki appeared on national television, saying he would not challenge the results and appealing for calm as ferocity broke out in several southern towns.
“We want to form the new government as soon as possible and contribute to the stability of the country,” he said. “We have many problems now and should work together to resolve this.”
As expected, Mr. Essebsi won electoral districts in much of the north, including the capital, Tunis, and the eastern coastal towns.
Mr. Marzouki made solid advantages in his native south, with as much as 80 percent of the
vote in some places.Mr. Essebsi had reached out to
Mr. Marzouki and his supporters even before the results were confirmed. “I want to send my regards to Moncef Marzouki and tell him that the outcome of today does not matter as much as what we can offer for the benefit of the country today and tomorrow,” he said.
He also applauded the people who took part in the popular uprising of 2011 that set off the Arab Spring and the 300 who died during the revolution. “I am happy with the great people whose actions fascinated the world on 17 December and 14 January and today,” he told supporters on the street outside his party headquarters. “We should always remember our martyrs who are the reason we are here today.”
Mr. Essebsi, whose anti-Islamist Nidaa Tounes party won a majority in the new Parliament in
elections in October, and will lead the new government, has asserted that he will look to collaborate with other parties. Among possible coalition partners is the main Islamist party, Ennahda, which holds the second-largest bloc of seats in Parliament.
Economic factors were mostly behind Tunisia's revolution in 2010 that saw the overthrow of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and set in motion a series of uprisings across the Arab world.
Four years on, the economic apprehensions that fuelled the revolutionary fervour remain to be addressed. Unemployment in Tunisia stands at nearly 15 percent? It’s double that for the young and women.
Some of the economic concerns that Mr. Essebsi has to deal with would be regional imbalance, progressing agriculture, family affair and the bureaucratic drain.
Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries are placing more attention on new markets in east, west and southern Africa as their trade flows with the continent expand, according to a report released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in conjunction with Falcon and Associates.
Walter Mzembi, Minister, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Zimbabwe
mONDAY | DECEmBER 29, 2014
The Government of South Sudan derives nearly 98% of its budget revenues from its oil exports. Given that South Sudan is a new country, immense investment opportunities lay ahead in sectors like road and structural construction, housing, telecommunication, manufacturing pharmaceuticals, agriculture, power generation, mining, education, tourism and fisheries.
IndustryManufacturing sectors,
including sugar, textile, cement, fruit, vegetable and timber, were wiped out during the war. Currently, the largest manufacturing plant is Southern Sudan Beverages Ltd, which produces beer and soft drinks. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has taken initiatives to prioritized agro-based industries, with a focus on fruit processing, cereal processing and production of livestock commodities.
countryoftheWeek04
The Republic of South Sudan became independent on July 9, 2011, following a
peaceful Referendum passed in January 2011. The Referendum was foreseen as part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed by the Government of the Republic of the Sudan and the then southern-based rebel group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, after decades of conflict. It is a member of the African Union, a UN Member State and a member of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.
Immense Business Opportunities
South Sudan has a gifted and optimistic market. It has a largely rural-based and subsistent economy. Subsistence agriculture provides a living for the absolute majority of the population. Being fairly rich in natural resources, South Sudan also relies on its exports. Oil is the main resource in South Sudan and oilfields in the southern part of the country drive its economy. Timber is also a major product which is being exported to international market from South Sudan.
South Sudan is the most oil dependent country in the world, with oil exports accounting for almost the totality of exports, and for around 80% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), directly and indirectly. The country produces nearly three-fourth of the former Sudan’s total oil output of nearly a half million barrels per day.
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AgricultureSouth Sudan has great
agricultural potential. Of its 82 million-hectare land surface, more than half is estimated to be cultivable land. Some common agricultural products which can be grown in South Sudan include pineapple, cotton, groundnuts, sorghum, millet, wheat, cotton, sweet potatoes, mangoes, pawpaw, sugarcane, cassava and sesame.
LivestockSouth Sudan has a rich livestock
population, with the majority of indigenous communities being pastoralists with an estimated eight million cattle. Additionally, there are millions of poultry, goats, pigs, horses, donkeys, sheep and other animals.
FisheriesDespite huge water bodies in
South Sudan, commercial fishing remains largely unexploited. Fish species include Nile perch, tilapia, catfish, mudfish, lungfish, moon fish (opah) and electric fish.
ForestryNatural forests and woodlands
cover 29 per cent of the total land area of South Sudan. Currently, commercial exploitation is limited only to teak, natural mahogany and gum Arabic.
BankingCentral Bank of South Sudan
is the central bank in the country and also the national banking regulator. There are 30 commercial investment and agricultural banks operating in South Sudan under regulation of the Bank of South Sudan (BoSS). Commercial banks include Ivory Bank (1993), Nile Commercial Bank (2005), Buffalo Commercial Bank (2007), Bank of Ethiopia (2009), KCB Bank Group (2005) and Equity Bank (2009).
FinanceStill a growing sector,
microfinance and microcredit institutions include Sudan Microfinance Initiative, Bangladesh Rural Cooperation (BRAC), Savannah Farmers’ Cooperation (SFC) and Finance Sudan.
Nature & ResourcesSouth Sudan is largely open
plains, marked by hilly regions and thick equatorial vegetation. The Nile River is a major natural feature of the South Sudan, flowing across the country. It traverses the country and through some of its regional centers, including the capital city, Juba. It facilitates trade, administration and urbanization in some rural areas. The river and its many tributaries also provide access to water which services the land, making it fertile to support
diverse vegetation and crops. Conducive Investment Climate
The Government of South Sudan has taken particular steps to cultivate an environment conducive to investment. These embrace the establishment of institutions like the Ministry of Investment and South Sudan Investment Services as well as development and proper implementation of investment laws. The investment laws furnish attractive fiscal regimes, protection of industrial and intellectual property, credible guarantee of legal security, repatriation of profits and dividends, customs duties exemptions as well as reduced bureaucracy.
The government has also taken specific steps to promote investment in the country. Some of these include:
» Establishment of Southern Sudan Investment Authority (SSIA);
» Development of investment laws to spell out the investment guidelines in the country;
» Equal treatment and opportunity for local and international investors; and
» Enactment of specific laws to support investment by making provisions for attractive fiscal regimes, protection of industrial and intellectual property rights, credible guarantee of legal security and investment stability, repatriation of profits and dividends, custom duties exemptions, as well as reduced red tapism.
The specific investment policies include:» Policy of non-discrimination -
Foreign investors are allowed to invest in and run businesses in any sector in Southern Sudan;
» Guarantees against expropriation - The government shall not nationalize any enterprise. Further, no investor will be compelled (by law or otherwise) to cede any part of investment capital;
» Protection of Intellectual Property laws - The government shall protect all Intellectual Property and other rights of all persons and investors. All trademarks, copyrights, patents, etc. will be enforced;
» Access to Public Information - Investors have open and direct access to all laws and decisions of courts, other adjudicative bodies and to any public information;
» Repatriation of capital, profits and dividends - Investors have the right to freely repatriate their money in freely convertible currency or dispose of it in any manner they deem fit, subject to tax and other lawful obligations; and
» Dispute Resolution - Any aggrieved investor has recourse to the courts of Southern Sudan which has jurisdiction over business disputes. Parties to a dispute are also free to specify alternative dispute resolution mechanisms they may agree upon. Any investor in dispute with the GoSS has recourse to internationally accepted dispute resolutions mechanisms.
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SOUTH SUDAN AT A GLANCEPresident: H.E. Lt. General Salva Kiir MayarditVice President: H.E. Mr. James Wani IggaPopulation: 9.9 Million PeopleArea: 619,745 Square KilometerBoundaries: • Sudan to the North • Ethiopia to the East • Uganda and Kenya to the South
East • Democratic Republic of Congo to
the South West • Central African Republic to the
WestMineral Resources: Petroleum, Iron ore, Gold, Silver, Copper, Aluminum, Coal, Uranium, ZincWater Resources: • The River Nile is the dominant
geographic feature in South Sudan, flowing across the country
• Agriculture is the back bone of our Economy although at the present point in time our country enjoys revenue from oil petroleum
• Live stock and fisheries are also competitive
a fruitfuL inVEStMEnt
HotSPot
south suDaN
MONDAY | DECEMBER 29, 2014
BuSinESSBuzz 05Government of Liberia signs Multimillion Deal with Chinese Company
Union Savings and Loans picks Global Banking AwardUnion Savings and Loans has been adjudged the Best SME Finance Company, 2014 by the Global Banking and Finance review.
Union was part of over 200 global players in the banking and finance sector honoured by the reputable UK based award organization.
Managing Director of Union Savings and Loans, Philip Oti- Mensah told Myjoyonline.com at the sidelines of the workers' end of year get together that the award is a testimony of the handwork and vision by staff of the company.
"We are the first Saving and Loans company in Ghana to be given such an award.
"We set out to position ourselves as the best SME bank and winning this award only shows our efforts have been recognized but it also means that it is just the beginning for us to do more.
Mr Oti-Mensah touted the company's philosophy to develop
Following the termination of the deal with ZTE, Ethiopia has now signed a deal with Ericsson.
An eight-month negotiation was confirmed by awarding Swedish based telecommunications firm, Ericsson, the $500-$550 million telecom project. The contract is part of the project that was taken away from ZTE.
Primarily, a project was launched for the renovation and extension of telecom services with a total project cost of 1.6 billion dollars in 2013. The contract was signed with two Chinese competing network solution providers ZTE and Huawei Technologies, by splitting the project into 13 circles. The two companies were bestowed the multi-vendor financing project of 800 million dollars each after they secured the financing from the Export-Import Bank of China (EX-IM) with a maturity period of 13 years at a three percent interest rate.
Huawei was awarded seven circles, one in the capital and the remaining in regional states of the Country. The remaining six circles were given to ZTE. Following the financing agreement, Huawei started the optimisation in Addis Abeba but ZTE did not start the work because of a disagreement with the state monopoly, after it declined to work on the swapping of the old network, according to Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD), in the rank of Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinator of the Finance and Economic cluster and Minister of Communication and Information
The Ministry of Public Works of Liberia has signed a multimillion dollar contract with a Chinese company for the full pavement of Phase-I of the Fish Town-Harper Road Project being mutually financed by the Government of Liberia and the African Development Bank.
The China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group Company Limited is said to cement the 50 kilometre road from Harper City to Karloken in Maryland County. The contract value is a little over 42.7 Million dollars and the real construction period is 2 years with 1 year of defects liability.
During the signing ceremony, newly appointed Public Minister, William Gyude Moore advised the contractor to take into consideration the issues of quality, durability and value for money.
He said that the road to be constructed is relatively noteworthy for socio-economic development of the country predominantly the south-eastern part of Liberia and the Ministry will ensure that the contractor does quality work; adding that monitoring and supervision will be prioritized at all stages of the project.
The Public Works’ official also noted that his leadership is well-informed with the challenges that lay ahead and will safeguard that there is veracity in the contract awarding process, while ensuring the quality of the products that come out of that process. He thanked his predecessors Atty. Samuel Kofi Woods for his leadership and influence on this project and Dr. Weeks and the MPW team for working with the ADB and contractor to bring the project to reality.
He equally acknowledged the presence of the Chinese Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission to Liberia and went on to add that as a result of the Ebola outbreak,
Ethiopia joins hands with Ericsson to Facilitate Telecommunication Sector most foreign companies fled the
country but the partnership with the Government and people of China has remained strong and we intend that while we are here providing leadership at the level of the Ministry of Public Works to continue that partnership with the Government and people of China and Chinese companies coming here to do business.
"For the people of Liberia the best way to improve our country is these things that we call economic multipliers-power, roads, telecom-munications; in effect the infra-structure that makes it easier for business people to do business; for goods to move across the country.
We have been concerned about the southeast; that every rainy season this part of the country gets cut-off. The prices of goods and services go up; aggravating poverty in places that our already economically depressed and so we are very happy about this," Minister Moore averred.
For the Contractor, the Minister said that 'We know for China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group Company winning a contract from a multilateral financing agency is a prestigious thing for you because after this, it goes on your profile indicating the works you have won before and this is an international competitive bid that you won as there were other companies'.... 'We hope we can work with the project team to deliver to the Liberian people value for money and the best quality road that can allow our brothers and sisters from the Ivory Coast to drive to Liberia'.
Concluding, he said his company won the international competitive bidding for phase-I of the Fish Town-Harper Road not just because of its lowest bidder status as compared to other competitors but also because of the company's long track record of undertaking large infrastructure and delivering high quality to clients.
Technology.ZTE's refusal to work on the
swapping of the old networks, and the demand for an additional 150 million dollars for the service, led Ethio telecom's board, chaired by Mekuria Haile, Minister of Urban Development and Housing Construction, to terminate the framework agreement signed with ZTE on April 2014, Fortune confirmed.
After the termination of the contract with ZTE, the state monopoly approached Nokia and Ericsson, with an offer to work on the projects together, taking three circles each. At the end, a deal was signed with Ericsson.
"We approached the two companies because they have been interested in working in Ethiopia, as they have approached us at different times in the past," says Debretsion. "Nokia did not respond to our offer, so we continued negotiations with Ericsson."
Ericsson proposed 550 million dollars for the four lots, by coming up with a financing structure that has a maturity period of 10 years, with a 7.5% interest rate, according to sources. The interest rate and the maturity period were eventually adjusted after negotiation between the two parties, although both remain higher than the figures in the deal with ZTE.
"The difference is not that significant," Debretsion said.
After the officials of ZTE knew that the government of Ethiopia was negotiating with Ericsson,
the capacity of Small Scale Enterprises (SME) and cited the SME clinic as one of the key selling points for the company.
"We have dedicated more than 90 per cent of our loan portfolio to the SME sector and we are going to continue doing that because we have seen that that is what wins us the prominence," he promised.
The MD also lamented the impact of dire economic challenges in the country, which he said affected some of his clients.
"Banking is all about creating loans from deposits you take and making sure those loans are repaid with interest. If your client are having challenges that threatens your survival.
He said his clients who dealt with the foreign markets were worst affected by the continued depreciation of the country's currency but the company had to take measures to interact with the customers and to see how best to
resolve their challenges.The economic difficulties
notwithstanding, My Oti-Mensah said Union Savings and Loans posted profit margins for the year 2014. "We are on track. We have grown our loan portfolio by over 200 per cent. We are still very profitable and tripled our profit margins compared to end of 2013," he announced.
While glowing in the successes of the company, Mr Oti-Mensah was quick to challenge the workers to meet their individual targets, reminding them that "at Union we will always continue to measure performance individually. I entreat all of you to ensure that you don't fall short of your individual targets because our business model does not allow non-performance."
Hardworking employees were also rewarded for their tireless efforts on the night of music and merry making.
Modern Ghana
Mekuria Haile, Minister of Urban Development and Housing Construction, Ethiopia
they apparently requested to work on the project again, by agreeing to include the swapping with the first project cost, ZTE officials although refused to give further details on the issue.
"We were going to shift the whole project from ZTE, but the time framework scheduled for the finalisation of the project is June 2015, and Ericsson said that it could finalise all four circles within the remaining six months," said Debretsion.
The agreement with Ericsson was signed on December 16, 2014 at Hilton Hotel, between Andulem Admassie, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ethio Telecom, and Rafiah Ibrahim, President of Ericsson for the Middle East and North East Africa region. The event was attended by Mekuria, Debretsion and Jan Sadek, Swedish ambassador to Ethiopia. The new project that is designed with Ericsson includes expansion, overhauling, swapping and provision of technologies for four circles, including south, south west, south east and south south circles, while ZTE retains the east and middle east circles.
Hours before this deal, we signed a contract with ZTE for the remaining two circles, Andulem told Fortune. In addition to the circles, ZTE will work on transmission, power deployment, business and security, Andualem informed.
mONDAY | DECEmBER 29, 2014
fRaNkLY SPEaKinG06
By kirit soBti, editor, [email protected]
Forget football. Food will be in the front and center!! While chicken wings, chips and dip are game-day favorites, pizza is always in
hot demand. The lasting admiration of fast food among the African people pooled with the mounting trends towards handiness and value for money have moulded the strategic factors supporting growth in fast food in Africa during in the recent years.
Revealing precisely about South Africa, even though the economic atmosphere in the country remained puzzling throughout the year, the prominent operators in fast food intensified their endeavours to offer food items across the broadest possible range of price points, with many offering meal choices at certain times of the day including breakfast, snacking, lunch and dinner. This signified a move away from the traditional emphasis on old-style lunch and dinner stuffs in fast food in South Africa.
The channel’s foremost players are also in the course of proposing smaller food items on their list of options, comprising smaller sized pizzas, which they are in turn able to sell at lower price points than more traditional larger items.
Independent retail analyst Syd Vianello said one had only to look at the recent year-end financial results of Spur Corporation’s pizza brand, Panarottis Pizza Pasta, which supplied a 28.2 percent increase in sales. “If you look at these results, there is no doubt that pizza is a growing offering in South Africa and elsewhere on the continent.”
The reason for the growth was the product’s affordability.
“It is relatively healthy and it is affordable. And there is a huge market of people who are looking for affordable food.”
Vianello said the triumph of chicken chain KFC, possessed by Yum Brands, displayed evolving markets were eyeing for affordable convenient food.
Daniel Isaacs, an equity analyst at 36One Asset Management, said pizza had received stout growth in the fast food space, and the take-up of pizza in consumer segments that beforehand had restricted access to it had been notable.
Both analysts were reacting to the return of Pizza Hut, which is also retained by Yum Brands and left the South African market in 2008. It launched its
AFRICA PASSIONATE FOR PIZZA
EriC AnDrE Director and co-founder of Om Nom Nom, Kenya
DAViD KinChELoE President of the U.S. Group National Restaurant Consultants
Domino’s, the international pizza brand has opened its first store in Kenya. The international fast food giant has strategies to establish its presence in East Africa. After opening two stores in Kenya, the second one being opened earlier this month in Nairobi, the company also plans to open new outlets in the port city of Mombasa, as well as in Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda.
The opening up of the Domino’s store in Kenya is a pointer of augmented competition among the international fast food giants, with KFC (owned by Yum! Brands Inc.), Subway, pizza chain Naked Pizza and ice-cream chain Cold Stone Creamery already having an existence in Africa. KFC was the first U.S. based fast food chain to enter Nairobi.
“We look at Kenya as the gateway to East Africa,” Richard Allison, President of Domino’s International Team said. “There is a growing middle class, growing spending power among consumers and a strong receptivity to international brands,” Allison said.
Domino’s has modified its menu to local Kenyan taste and offers meals according to local taste, the most famous being the Swahili Chicken Pizza.
The fast food giant will also have to deal with other regional problems, terrorism being one of them. The raid on a mall in Kenya last year, and many gun and grenade attacks are common in Kenya. The food giant claims that it is ready to adapt and deal with these challenges. Crime “happens all over the world and it even happens in the U.S.,” said Allison. “We try to be mindful about where we locate our stores, about making sure that we create an environment that is safe for our team members and customers.”
Eric Andre, Director of Om Nom Nom Ltd., the company which holds franchise of Domino’s and Cold Stone creamery told that it has invested around $6 million since February, 2014. The brand has received good response in the Kenyan market, with a good number of customers frequenting the outlets. “Wednesday nights when there is the premier league match we get lots of men who come to have pizza and beer and watch football on the TV screens,” explained Andre.
Domino’s currently has its presence in 75 countries, including African nations like, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa.
Anyone for Swahili Chicken Pizza?
We are planning to open at least eight Domino’s Pizza and 10 Cold Stone outlets in the next 24 months in Nairobi where our focus will remain over that period, Kenya’s middle class is growing and consists of people eager to sample new things like what we are providing them.
The lasting admiration of fast food among the African people has moulded the strategic factors supporting growth in fast food in Africa during in the recent years.
Pizza is becoming the fastest-growing fast food offering on the continent, particularly in South Africa, and the financial reports of food service firms, as well as the international pizza companies arriving in the market, confirmed to that, equity analysts have approved.
first store in Honeydew, Johannesburg and said it scheduled to open more stores in Boksburg, Midrand and Soweto, as well as in Zambia and Angola.
It is no surprise that Pizza Hut is directing areas which, as Isaacs stated, have had partial access to this offering. Though, Famous Brands has already made its mark in these markets. The JSE-listed group, which has 446 Debonairs Pizza franchises, does not only have outlets in most shopping centres in the townships, but it sells pizza in transport hubs such as taxi ranks for less than R30.
But what took Pizza Hut so long to realise this growth was happening? Vianello was perplexed by the slow response from Yum Brands. “The fact that KFC is doing so well in sub-Saharan Africa was supposed to give Yum Brands an indication that the fast food market was growing in this region,” he said.
The fact that US-based food company Domino’s Pizza, which signed a 30-year master licence agreement with Taste Holdings, planned to open outlets in South Africa should have been a sign of how promising the market was, he said.
“Yum Brands owns KFC and if there is anyone who understands the dynamics of the South African convenience food market, surely it’s going to be Yum Brands,” he said. Yum Brands has been in the market for 30 years and operates about 750 local KFC outlets.
“They know the market, they have also created the market and contributed to the growth in the market,” Vianello said.
Yum Brands Chief Operating Officer Stephen Hazard settled that it was a shame for a global brand not to have a pizza offering in Africa. He was quoted as saying: “For us not to be in Africa seemed really a shame for a global brand… As we started to look at the African pizza market it seemed like a really exciting market.”
Isaacs alleged that the evolution in the pizza market with the entry of groups like Domino’s and Pizza Hut “will make the segment more competitive and more difficult for companies to make returns that they were making before”.
Isaacs, nevertheless, believed that the returns could still be good, as most of the companies taking part in this market space were positive about its growth.
Yum Brands is working their way into the African market, referring to KFC's parent company. Once you're able to get KFC in and you're able to work out the issues with the supply chain maybe you'll see a Long John Silver's, a Pizza Hut, a Taco Bell.
MONDAY | DECEMBER 29, 2014
traVEL&touRism 07
T H E D E L I G H T F U L
an enchanted world as persevering as
a fireball and as chilling like an ice
ball, Delhi not just happens to be one
of india’s largest cities but is a picture-perfect
amalgamation of antiquity and modernity. the
colorful medley of Delhi, as diverse as the
country itself is an everlasting appearance
of the many things this c
ity has to offer. the
place can amaze you by just its sheer size
and diversity – both natural and man-made.
While traveling to India, and landing in the country’s capital – the delightful Delhi for tourism could prove to be an unbelievable description. Delhi has always been the center of attraction in India. With many imperative historical events taking place in this small city in northern part of India, Delhi houses a number of famous monuments and tourist attractions. The quality of Delhi, where the old and the new co-exist is clearly visible in the tourist places in Delhi. Where on one hand Delhi houses old mosques, forts, tombs and many other historical artefacts, we also find swanky malls, clubs, adventure parks and other modern and world class facilities. Some of the famous tourist attractions in Delhi include, Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, Tughlaqabad Fort, India Gate, Jama Masjid and many others. If you love history and art, and want to experience a mix of both modern and ancient styles of art, Delhi is the place to be. With world class malls and multiplexes to places in Lutyen’s Delhi which were built during the British period to Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb and many other monuments which reflect the ancient civilizations that resided here, Delhi has it all.
Delhi experiences extreme climate, with temperature rising as high as 47.8°C in summers and going as low as -6.7°C in winters. Monsoons generally starts at the end of June and continue till August. The best time to visit Delhi is October-March, summers in Delhi could be harsh and are thus not the best time to visit the city.
When in Delhi, visiting its famous markets are a must. From the hip Connaught Place where you can find all the brands to the cool flea markets of Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Paharganj and the likes tourists love it all. If you love to bargain (well, who doesn’t?) and want to grab cool stuff at the lowest of prices, the markets of Delhi are the ideal place. Besides these famous markets, there are many local markets which are famous for one thing or another. One can find a furniture market, a cloth market a utensil market. You name it and Delhi has it.
Delhi has always been a vivacious city with a cosmopolitan culture which is reflected in every aspect of its life. It has plenty of entertainment spots to choose from. Places like cinema halls, pubs, hotels and recreational centers are open on all weekends. It has world class multiplexes like the PVR, Big Cinema, Fun Cinema, DT Cinema etc. The happening night life in Delhi consists of clubs, bars, restaurants, etc., where you get a world class ambience with quality service. There are auditoriums that host cultural and recreational concerts all through the year. Delhi is a hub of theatre activities, with a number of auditoriums like the Kamani Auditorium, Sri Ram Centre of Arts and the National School of Drama all situated in Delhi. Time and again theatre, literary, food and book festivals are organized on small and large scales.
Chilling Climate
Love to Bargain?
Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Delhi holds a unique place on the food map of India. It is
surrounded by the states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan and thus the food habits of Delhi are greatly influenced by these states. Being the center of Mughal activities, Delhi is considered to be the place where Mughlai Cuisine originated. It is a must to try the street food from Chandni Chowk, the kebabs from Jama Masjid’s market, the mutton at Karim’s, paranthas from Paranthe wali gali are to die for. Chandni Chowk is the sacred hub for all food lovers, the streets are filled with vendors selling all kinds of delicacies, ranging from sweets to chaats to mango shakes and ice creams. If you have a sweet tooth and love gorging on sweets all the time, not to worry, Delhi has an answer for all kinds of foodies. From the super sweet gulab jamuns, jalebis, laddoos and rabri faludas there is something for everyone. You can also take home sweet delicacies like Soan Papdi, Pista Samosa and Badam Barfi. Butter Chicken is a must have in Delhi. It originated at the Moti Mahal, Daryaganj in the 1950s. Butter Chicken was born by accident and soon set tongues drooling the world over. It’s creamy with thick, red tomato gravy. This melt-in-mouth dish tastes best with tandoori roti or naan. Delhi’s food is not for the faint hearted, or rather for people with a weak digestive tract, it is a blast of flavors, colors, and all kinds of spices, with just a dash of Delhi’s spirit.
Appealing Your Taste Buds!!
Delhi
mONDAY | DECEmBER 29, 2014
taLkiNGtEcHnoLoGy08
The modern day warfare is constantly evolving. It is no longer limited to the
Battlefields. It has now moved to the urban areas where the threat is from terrorists and criminals too. And as the new forms of combat appear, the modern soldier has to be more aware, more informed, more lethal and better protected. To enable the modern soldier to face the new enemy fearlessly, effectively and precisely, MKU has used its expertise and latest technologies to develop armoring solutions to protect the soldier in the most difficult battle scenarios and riotous environment.
Established in 1985 in Kanpur, MKU is today India is leading manufacturer and supplier of ballistic protection
and surveillance equipment for armed, paramilitary & police forces. With its in-house state-of-the-art research and development division and inhouse ballistic testing facility, MKU has developed a range of more than 30 products in 10 categories against more than 1000 threats to meet the needs of its customers in over 100 countries.
Its manufacturing facilities are certified to ISO 9001: 2008, AS 9100 & ISO 14000 standards and it has been honoured with awards from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India on many occasions for its exemplary export performance. With its laudable motto of ‘Saving Lives, Earning Smiles’, MKU brings smiles to the faces of families of
defence and police personnel who put their lives at risk everyday to protect us. For protection of the soldier, MKU manufactures helmets, body armour, shields, de-mining suits and bomb blankets. MKU has developed light-weight body armour which seamlessly integrates with the soldier’s high tech equipments, such as network portable computers, communication kits and power systems, to give him easy mobility and comfort.
According to company sources, MKU has one of the largest production capacities in the world to manufacture over 150,000 bulletproof vests a year. One of its revolutionary inventions, the ‘Instavest’, is the most advanced ballistic jacket
available in the world today. It features a patented quick release jettison system, which divests the vest immediately from the user’s body within a split second. It can then be put back on in 30 seconds and ready for re-use, says Manish Khandelwal, Business Manager (Personal Protection and the inventor of Instavest - a feat unmatched by any competing product in the industry.
In modern combat scenarios, troops need to engage effectively during night. Keeping this in mind, MKU has developed light weight night vision devices: Jaguar 7 – a combat-proven hand held night vision binocular; Jaguar-14 a multi-purpose monocular weighing 260gms; and Night eye—a rugged weapon sight.
MKU – EVOLVING MODERN DAY WARFAREFor vehicle protection, MKU
offers light weight composite panels and kits for naval vessels, land vehicles and helicopters. The Company has armored more than 1500 vehicles in the past five years. It is a fair assessment that the use of body armour and other ballistic protection equipment has increased worldwide in recent times. And as new threats arise and new enemies are born, the need for a wide range of innovative protection and surveillance equipment cannot be over-emphasized.
It is to the brave modern soldier, who constantly lives on the edge, that the new innovations should be dedicated- because victory often lies just beyond the edge.
MONDAY | DECEMBER 29, 2014
trysomethiNGNeW 09
ingredients1 cup rice (feel free to substitute
brown rice if needed)
1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk
1 (29 ounce) can diced tomatoes
4 medium habanero peppers
1 small green pepper (diced)
1 small yellow onion (diced)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
UPCOMING
A man dies daily, only to be reborn in the morning, bigger, better and wiser
tHougHt oFtHe WeeK
International Conference on Higher Education: Special Emphasis on Management Education
It is organized by the Nitte University. The conference will cover areas like Innovative Pedagogies, Learner-centered Management Education, and Employability: Short Term and Long Term.
Date: 29-30 Dec 2014 Venue: K. S. Hegde Institute of Management, Udupi, India
ALL INDIA ORIENTAL CONFERENCE 2015
it is organized by the Gauhati University Department of Linguistics. The conference will cover areas like The All India Oriental Conference, which has for the last nine decades served as the National forum of scholars interested in Orientology, will hold its 47th session at Gauhati University.
Date: 02-04 Jan 2015 Venue: Gauhati University, Guwahati, India.
Aapi Global Healthcare Summit
It is organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin. The conference will cover areas like pharmaceuticals, device and medical equipment manufacturers and major medical teaching instituitons, hospitals and from the Ministries – Health, External/Overseas Affairs.
Date: 02-04 Jan 2015 Venue: Trident Hotel, Mumbai, India
AIMS International Conference on Management
It is organized by the AIMS International. The conference will cover areas like purpose to provide a forum that stimulates discussion on conference theme and related topics.
Date: 02-05 Jan 2015 Venue: Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode, Kozhikode, India.
Conference on West Bengal Economy
It is organized by the Inomics GmbH. The conference will cover areas like topics concerning the economy of west bengal and many more.
Date: 02-03 Jan 2015 Venue: Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India.
XVI Annual International Conference
It is organized by the Society for Human Transformation and Research.
Date: 03-04 Jan 2015 Venue: India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India
prepration Method1. Boil the rice in water for about 10-15 minutes (enough
were it's not too soft -- because we will be cooking it some more).
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a cooking pot.
3. Add the onions and stir with black pepper for one minute.
4. Add diced tomatoes, habaneros, and coconut milk with the sea salt and cover to cook for about 7. Minutes (or when the mixture comes to a boil).
5. Add the rice and stir and cover for about 7 minutes (or when the rice is almost dry).
6. Add the green peppers and let simmer until the rice has absorbed all the juices.Try this dish in Nigerian Style
Coconut Rice
HeAltH benefits of GINGER
TIPS TO KEEP SKIN SOFT AND GLOWING
IN WINTER
south Africa has three capital cities, Cape town, bloemfontein and Pretoria.
SOUTH AFRICA
The Union Minister for External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs, Smt. Sushma Swaraj addressing a press conference on the forthcoming 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)-2015 to be held from 7-9 January 2015.
PiCTurE oF ThE wEEK
1. wash in Lukewarm waterHot showers and baths always feel good in the winter, but when you can, particularly when just washing your face or hands, choose lukewarm water to avoid stripping as many oils away from the skin.
2. Moisturize immediately Afterwards
Your skin not only needs more moisture, but moisture right after you wash. Applying moisture to damp skin helps seal that dampness into the skin. Keep a bottle near the bathtub, shower stall, and at every sink and use liberally every time you wash.
3. Choose Moisturizer CarefullySome over-the-counter moisturizers have petroleum-based ingredients that can actually further dry your skin in the winter months. Be sure to choose a smart formula that has natural, nourishing ingredients. Go for an oil-based rather than a water-based solution, as it’s more likely to help your skin retain moisture in the winter.
4. ProtectGet used to wearing gloves and
scarves to protect skin from cold winds, rain, and snow. Also, don’t forget the sunscreen. Winter sun can be just as damaging as summer sun, so apply a safe option like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to any exposed areas.
5. humidifyHeating systems dry out the air, so consider installing a humidifier in your home, particularly in your bedroom, to put moisture back into the air and help prevent your skin from drying out.
6. DrinkWe tend to drink less water in the winter because we turn to hot drinks like cocoa and tea, but don’t forget that your skin needs hydration from the inside, out. A little warm water with lemon can be very refreshing and hydrating at the same time.
7. overnight MoisturizeDryer areas like hands, feet, elbows, and knees have thin skin and tend to lose moisture faster than other areas on the body. Consider slathering on a deep moisturizing balm at night, then wear cotton gloves and socks to seal in the moisture until morning.
Nothing beats cold in the winter like a piping hot cup of ginger tea. With its high levels of Vitamin C, magnesium and other minerals, ginger root is extremely beneficial for health.1. relieve nauseaDrinking a cup of ginger tea before travelling can help prevent the nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness. You can also drink a cuppa at the first sign of nausea to relieve the symptom.2. improve stomach performanceUseful in improving digestion and increasing absorption of food, ginger tea can bloating after eating too much.3. reduce inflammationGinger contains anti-inflammatory properties that make it an ideal home remedy for muscle and joint problems. In addition to drinking ginger tea, you can also use it to soak inflamed joints.4. Fight respiratory problemsGinger tea can help relieve congestion associated with
the common cold. Try a cup of ginger tea for the respiratory symptoms associated with environmental allergies.5. improve blood circulationThe vitamins, minerals and amino acids in ginger tea can help restore and improve blood circulation that may help decrease the chance of cardiovascular problems. Ginger may prevent fat from depositing in the arteries helping to prevent heart attacks and stroke.6. relieve menstrual discomfortThis one is for all women suffering from menstrual cramps. Try soaking a towel in warm ginger tea and apply it to your lower abdomen. It may help relieve the pain and relax the muscles. At the same time, drink a cup of ginger tea with honey.7. Strengthen immunityGinger tea can help strengthen your immunity due to the high levels of antioxidants in ginger.8. relieve stressGinger tea has calming properties that may help lower your stress and tension. This is thought to be due to a combination of the strong aroma and healing properties.
mONDAY | DECEmBER 29, 2014
thefaSHioniStaS10
2014 ending big for Nigerian Actress, Judith Audu as she wins her first award for Best Actress at the recently concluded In-Short Film Festival 2014. It was 3 days loaded with
amazing short films viewing at the In-Short Film Festival, organized by Victor Okhai, powered by Access Bank that held at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos from the 15th to 17th of December 2014. Akin Harrison's ALPHA MOM and Ejim Fortune's STRANGERS wins big as they each won 3 awards, Eric Aghimien's takes 2 awards home for Leeway.
Modern Ghana
A new fashion event, 'RIP the runaway,' has been launched to enable upcoming fashion designers explore their full potential and also dare to be creatively diverse.
The show which will be extensively covered by national and international media will also give the already established fashion designers the needed publicity to showcase their products to the world.
In addition, 'RIP the runway' will attract the participation of makeup artists, hair stylists and stunning runway models.
Even though this is aimed at giving the up and coming all the necessary publicity to propel their works, already established fashion designers like Aya Morrison and others will be there to share their experiences with the amateurs to push them beyond their limits.
“The concept of this show is to create a relaxed environment for fashionistas to enjoy a first rate runway show and have the opportunity to place orders and interact with the designers,”
As curtains fall on the year 2014, it is time to look back and remember the songs that topped the charts this year.
Like 2013, it has been yet another great year for Rwandan music. The New Times conducted a mini-survey to find out which songs got people on their feet whenever played and got many people singing.
We looked at songs that dominated radio playlists throughout the year as well as songs that were watched more than others on Youtube. We also talked to radio personalities and DJ’s as well as random people on the streets to know which songs they enjoyed listening to this year.
While there is no song for example that matched last year’s club banger ‘Fata fata’ by DJ Zizou, Rwandan artistes churned out a number of songs that were loved not only on radio stations and TV’s but also in clubs and online.
As observed by 98.7 KFM presenter MC Tino (real names Martin Kasirye), there were a lot of good songs this year but those released towards the end of the year, particularly in November and December tend to get more air play because they are released at the time when the festive mood
'riP the runway' launched to give opportunities to fashion designers
Local songs that rocked in 2014
Emmanuella Sagoe, organizer of the event said. The event which will come off at the African Regent Hotel in Accra will treat attendees with the latest in fashion,” Emmauella added.
The organizers added that,
Judith Audu wins best Actress at the In-Short Film Festival 2014
“this is a positive event for Ghana and the textile industry and will create job opportunities for stylists, models and others involved and affiliated with the fashion industry.”
Modern Ghana
Amakye Dede, Lee Duodu and Kofi B Set to Usher In New YearThe Abrantie Spot located at Abeka Lapaz, in Accra is expected to come alive with fun and excitement on Thursday January 1, 2015 when three of the nation’s finest highlife giants join forces to thrill fans and to usher in the New Year in style.
The ar tistes who are expected to set the stage on fire with good highlife tunes include the legendary Amakye Dede, the sensational Germany based Lee Duodu as well as the ‘Bantama Kwesi Boakye’ hit maker Kofi B.
The show which is expected to attract hundreds of music fans in Accra and its environs has been dubbed the biggest and official New Year highlife par ty.
In an exclusive interview, the headline act, Amakye Dede, promised patrons several surprises on the night but remained tight-lipped on the details. He however insisted the event will be wor th every pesewa paid by patrons.
On his par t, the sensational Lee Duodu who just flew back home from his Europe base for the show promised to give fans his best as usual. “I have not performed here in Ghana for a long time and am back to give my fans and admirers the best. They should just come to the Abrantie Spot on January 1, relax and enjoy good music as we usher in the New Year in grand style.'
Kofi B who has over the years won the hear t of the younger folks with his fascinating highlife tunes just wants fans to grab their tickets and get to the Abrantie spot for the show of a lifetime. “I will not say much, they should just come and see what I have in store for them. You know action speaks louder than words” He noted in an interview.
According to the organizers, the official New Year highlife par ty kicks off at 7pm.
Modern Ghana
has set in.“There is a high chance that
if you release a danceable track let’s say in November, by the time the festive season and the parties come in, it will still be fresh in the minds of the people compared to one which was released in March,” says Tino, who is also a member of boy group TBB.
Such songs include ‘Nibisanzwe’ by King James and ‘Ni Danger’ by Danny Vumbi whose videos premiered in November. ‘Tulia’ by Knowless which also has an exceptional video is among the songs which have ended the year on a high.
According to DJ Anita Pendo, to determine which songs dominated 2014, one has to look at how often these songs were requested on radio and TV stations as well as in clubs.
“You will definitely know that a song is a hit when callers keep asking for the same song or when you are playing at a club, or attending concerts and revellers keep asking for the song to be played,” says Pendo, who is also a presenter at Magic FM.
Some of the people interviewed said that they related or liked certain songs for the message contained. Among those cited by
fans is ‘Nyabarongo’ by Ama G de Black and Safi Madiba of Urban Boys.
The song relates to many because most people will have to cross River Nyabarongo at some point as they head out to Kigali. ‘Ni Danger’ by Danny Vumbi is also identified among the songs packaged with message. The song is about the youth who have abandoned their culture and language particularly by lacing Kinyarwanda language with slangs.
Other factors that
determined how songs faired was the quality of video with those shot outside Rwanda, such as King James’s ‘Ntibisanzwe’ shot in the US and ‘Tulia’ by Knowless shot in Kenya easily finding their way to the top.
This year there were many joint collabos which made it to the top of the charts including ‘Nikonabaye’, yet another hit from DJ Zizou of ‘Fata fata’ fame, ‘Byakuvuna’ by Kina Music affair and‘Rendezvous’ by Oda Paccy among others.
There were also collabos made between Rwandan artistes and other African artistes which also made the cut. These included ‘Tayari’ by Urban Boys featuring Iyanya and ‘Hallo’ by Bruce Melodie and Fille among others.
New Times
King James
MONDAY | DECEMBER 29, 2014
SPortS2WatCh 11
Reigning Tour du Rwanda champion Valens Ndayisenga has been named
among the final five cyclists in contention for the 2014 African cyclist of the year award.
The jury chaired by Bernard Hinault, five-time winner of the Tour de France, announced the five finalists that include Ndayisenga, last year’s winner Louis Meintjes from South Africa, 2012 winner Natnael Berhane of Eritrea, 2014 African champion Mekseb Debesay from Eritrea and Moroccan Mouhssine Lahsaini.
“This means so much to me and most importantly, I am honoured to be representing my country. This took a lot of teamwork, commitment and determination,” said Ndayisenga in an interview with Times Sport.
Ndayisenga, who is also currently ranked sixth on the continent, made the original 15-man list that also included
University of Rwanda (UR) Karate team emerged third to win bronze in the ongoing 9th Eastern Africa Inter- University Games in Uganda.
Jean d’Amour Rukundo was the star performer after winning gold in the under 84 kg Kumite [fighting] category, Narcisse Tuyishime got silver in the under 60 category, and Jules Rutayisire took bronze in the under 75 kg category. Kampala International University (KIU) and Ndejje University, two private
Ndayisenga makes top five in race for continental award
Ghana winger Christian Atsu set to return to Chelsea after unremarkable Everton loan spell
UR Karate team finish 3rd at Regional University Games
fellow country-mate Bonaventure Uwizeyimana.
Uwizeyimana became the first African to win a stage at the gruesome La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in Gabon from Lambaréné to Kango, a distance of 143km that he clocked in 3:16:31 earlier this year.
Meanwhile, 20-year old Ndayisenga became the first Rwandan to win the Tour du Rwanda since its inception in the UCI Africa Tour calendar in 2009.
This is the second year in a row that Ndayisenga is being nominated for the coveted continental award as last year he was on the 24-man shortlist alongside teammate Janvier Hadi.
Back then, Hadi had won bronze at the Africa continental championships in Egypt and Ndayisenga at 19 was the youngest rider to win a stage at the Tour du Rwanda.
New Times
Cameroon midfielder Alex Song is poised to inform West Ham United that he will play in the Africa Cup of Nations next month.
Song's participation will take the number of West Ham players involved in the tournament to three and could put a serious dent in the club's hopes of sustaining their impressive start to the season.
The midfielder had questioned whether the Africa Cup of Nations should go ahead after the outbreak of the Ebola virus and delayed a decision on his playing for Cameroon.
Morocco refused to host the event because of concerns over Ebola, with the
tournament being switched to Equatorial Guinea. West Ham have been waiting to hear from Song over whether or not he will travel to Guinea, but the 27-year-old player is now believed to be close to confirming his plans.
Song has been a revelation at Upton Park since moving on loan from Barcelona in the summer
and he will be badly missed by Sam Allardyce, the West Ham manager.
The Senegal duo Diafra Sakho and Cheikhou Kouyaté are also due to play in the tournament, which runs from January 17 to February 8.
Fifa rules state that countries can call up their players 14 days before their first game, which means the trio could be away for five of West Ham's games from the FA Cup tie against Everton on Jan 6.
The Hammers could request special dispensation from the federations to keep Song, Sakho and Kouyate for the Everton match and
Swansea City game on Jan 10, with Senegal due to play their first Africa Cup game on Jan 19 and Cameroon starting their campaign a day later.
West Ham then face Hull City, Liverpool and Manchester United over the period of time that three of their best players could be missing.
West Ham are also concerned about the condition in which their players will come back from Guinea, after Sakho returned from Senegal duty last month with a back and neck injury.
Allardyce will ideally want all his players available for the Feb 11 trip to Southampton, which could be a pivotal game in the shake-up for Champions League qualification.
The Saints are fifth, two points behind West Ham. Newcastle are the only other Premier League club who will have three players going to the Africa Cup of Nations. Of West Ham's rivals for a top-four place, Southampton will lose Emmanuel Mayuka and Sadio Mané and Tottenham Hotspur will be without Nabil Bentaleb. Arsenal do not lose anybody.
Modern Ghana
Ugandan Universities whose teams are dominated by Rwandan players with full scholarships there, emerged first and second, respectively. Among those, KIU’s Rehema Kabera (a member of the Rwandan national team) won silver in individual female Kata, and gold in the under 55 Kumite category.
Another KIU student on Rwanda’s national team, Emery Espoir Ntungane, won gold in the under 67 category while
Jean Paul Shyirambere, also of KIU, won gold in individual male under 60 kg category.Nearly 3,000 athletes from 40 universities in 12 countries are participating in this year’s edition which is being hosted by Uganda Christian University (UCU), in Mukono, from December 17 to 21.
UR is also competing in football, basketball, handball, volleyball and athletics.
New Times
Valens Ndayisenga
mONDAY | DECEmBER 29, 2014
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
Your bank has already been known for her brands and activities, why the rebranding?
At every stage in a company’s life, there has to be that stage of rejuvenation and I think this is the rejuvenation for us. We are moving into another face of Access Bank. The Access Bank of old was before the integration with Intercontinental Bank which was done in Nigeria and Ghana. In our group office it has since been done but because I want a special team later, that is why it is as if we are doing it now. But it’s a bigger bank with a new management, a new focus and a new strategy in place. The last strategy was in 2012 and we have another in 2013 to 2018 so in that strategy also, it requires us to put a lot of things in place, including our new look. We are refurbishing our head office, we are bringing new people in and the bank is also making strides just like we won the award. So in order words we are just stepping up our game.
With kind of economy we have right now in Ghana, how do you intend to deal with that challenge?
In fact, the way the economy is, that
is the reason why we need to step up our game. If you don’t change your game and continue doing things in the same old way, you will be left behind and disappear. And what is happening in Ghana now is not peculiar to Ghana alone. It’s across the whole world and that is the reason why it’s required of us to step up the game, look at our strategies very well, rethinks our strategies and repositions ourselves to be able to take care of the kind of challenges we are seeing today. If we don’t reposition ourselves very well, we will be swept away with the tide and we don’t want to be like that.
You are trying to focus on retail banking and SMEs. What are the challenges you are hoping to face and how do you intend dealing with them?
Well, for us it’s a new terrain. But we know, take for example the SMEs that is the hub of business activities in the country - SMEs may be the cause of growth. We are also going in there to see how we can leverage on, to see what challenges we bargain to settle, to see what challenges that come with not having enough deposits in market place, we talking about financial inclusion;
the more people save in the bank, the more we have the liquidity to be able to support that sector. So challenges are there and that is what businesses are about. Getting more customers into the bank, expanding financial inclusion to enable as money people who can generate income, to trust the banks to save money in the bank for us to be able to channel these monies to support SME businesses.
You also won an award for the best corporate social responsibility banking and we want to know what are your next strategies to enhance social corporate responsibility for your customers to benefit more from doing business with you?
Our customers will benefit with the quality of services and products we offer them. We won the award in the communities we are working in and so you don’t necessarily have to be our customer to benefit from our corporate social responsibility. We as an organization are also advising our people that we need to give back to our society. One of the things we have done that are different from others is that most of our corporate responsibilities
are being done by most of our individual workers to the extent that within the year we had about sixteen hundred people befitting from our programs like sports, education, health, in the arts etc. We also have what we call Employees Volunteer Program and some other things the bank does which we don’t plan for example, a girl with a hole in the heart. We are also sustainability conscious and we take our environment into consideration and so we make sure that our operations don’t harm our environment.
What do you hope to achieve by the close of 2018 going by your business strategy?
Thank you. Our goal by 2018 is that we want to be one of the first three in Ghana. We have been the best since 2010 and we won in 2013 and we hope to maintain that feat. We may not be the number one all the time but we are hoping to be within the best three. We also intend to open ten more branches by next year where we will be adding up to about fifty branches in Ghana. We would have loved to be in the rural areas but banks are into business and we go to where the business is.
Over the years, Access Bank has evolved to become a catalyst for socio-economic development in Africa and has won the 2013 “Bank of the Year Award” from the Ghana Banking Award. The Bank recently strengthened its retail banking business after its merger with Intercontinental Bank Ghana ("IBG"), which places it amongst the top Banks in Ghana, with an asset base of GHS 797.3 million and shareholders' funds of GHS 216.5 million as at December 31, 2013. The bank has come out to inform the public of their intention to rebrand the company. INDO AFRICA TIMES Ghana correspondent Francis L. Sackitey has catch up with Mr. Dolapo Ogundimu, the MD of the bank to find out more about the rebranding and other activities of the bank.
WE HAVE bEEN THE bEST SINCE 2010
Dolapo ogundimu MD Access Bank Ghana Ltd
MONDAY | DECEMBER 29, 2014
