Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo – The Commerce Africa https://thecommerceafrica.com African Reneissance Thu, 10 Dec 2020 09:27:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9 Akufo-Addo Re-elected as Ghana’s President 6.73 million votes https://thecommerceafrica.com/akufo-addo-re-elected-as-ghanas-president-6-73-million-votes/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/akufo-addo-re-elected-as-ghanas-president-6-73-million-votes/#respond Thu, 10 Dec 2020 09:27:47 +0000 http://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=2886 President Nana Akufo-Addo has won the 2020 presidential election in Ghana, defeating his closest challenger and former president John Mahama by polling 6,730,413 votes (51.59 per cent).

Mr Mahama, who contested on the platform of the National Democratic Congress, got 6,240,889 votes (47.36 per cent).

Mr Akufo-Addo, who contested on the platform of the New Patriotic Party, won in seven of the 16 regions while Mr Mahama won in nine.

Jean Mensah, the chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, said the final results were without that of Techiman South because it was being contested. She, however, added that the total votes in the constituency is 128,018 and will not change the outcome of the result.

By the power vested in me as the returning officer, it is my duty to announce Nana Akufo-Addo as the president-elect of Ghana, she said.

There was no representative of the NDC at the electoral commission headquarters.

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Ghana Holds National Conference on AfCFTA to sensitise Businesses https://thecommerceafrica.com/ghana-holds-national-conference-on-afcfta-to-sensitise-businesses/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/ghana-holds-national-conference-on-afcfta-to-sensitise-businesses/#respond Tue, 20 Oct 2020 10:10:22 +0000 http://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=2373 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will, on Tuesday, October 20, open the second edition of the national conference on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement in Accra.

The two-day conference is on the theme: “Empowering Ghanaian Businesses to Harness the Benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement under the framework of the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS).”

The event will bring together relevant stakeholders from the private and public sectors to discuss the government’s export development interventions aimed at empowering the private sector to harness the benefits of the AfCFTA.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Information in Accra said President Akufo-Addo would use the opportunity to articulate Government’s commitment to the AfCFTA and the empowerment of the private sector to boost Ghana’s trade with continental Africa, with trading scheduled to start on January 1, 2020.

Participants expected to attend the conference include; Chief Executive Officers from the Business Community, Senior Policy Makers, Parliamentarians, academia, representatives of civil society organizations, development partners and the media.

The first national AfCFTA conference was organized by the Government of Ghana in August 2019.

GNA

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Ghana: 17 Presidential Aspirants Contest for December 7 elections https://thecommerceafrica.com/ghana-17-presidential-aspirants-contest-for-december-7-elections/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/ghana-17-presidential-aspirants-contest-for-december-7-elections/#respond Sat, 10 Oct 2020 07:51:05 +0000 http://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=2261 As of Friday, October 9, which marks the end of the filing of nominations, a total of 17 presidential aspirants have put themselves up to contest for the presidential election in December 2020.

Three of the Presidential Aspirants who filed the nominations are hoping to go as independent candidates when cleared by the EC, while 14 are aspirants from political parties.

The process, which began on Monday, saw three aspirants presenting on Tuesday, two on Wednesday, seven on Thursday and five on Friday, which is the close of the exercise.

Mrs Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission who announced the close of the exercise said the technical and Information Technology teams tasked to scrutinise the forms would submit their report on Monday.

She said the result of those who would qualify for the next stage would be announced to the public next week.

The independent aspirants are; Mr Alfred Kwame Walker, Mr Kofi Koranteng and Carl Asare Morgan.

The rest are President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party Mr Christian Kwabena Andrews, of the Ghana Union Party, Madam Brigitte Akosua Dzogbenuku of the Progressive People’s Party, Former President John Dramani Mahama of the NDC and Madam Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party.

The others are; Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings of the National Democratic Party, Dr Hassan Ayariga of All People’s Congress, Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the Conventions People’s Party, Mr Henry Herbert Lartey of Great Consolidated Popular Party, and Mr Akwesi Addea Odike, of United Progressive Party and Mr Kwasi Busumbru of People’s Action Party.

The rest are Nana Agyenim Boateng of the United Front Party, Mr Percival Kofi Akpaloo, Liberal Party of Ghana and Mr David Asibi Ayindenaba Apasera of the People’s National Convention.

GNA

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Let’s Restructure Global Financial Architecture, Akufo-Addo Urges UNGA https://thecommerceafrica.com/lets-restructure-global-financial-architecture-akufo-addo-urges-unga/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/lets-restructure-global-financial-architecture-akufo-addo-urges-unga/#respond Thu, 24 Sep 2020 08:26:46 +0000 http://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=2055 The Chairman of the ECOWAS and President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called for restructuring of the global financing architecture to enable access to fresh capital by developing nations in the face of the covid-19 pandemic and the havoc it has wreaked on their economies.

“The restructuring of the global financing architecture to enable access to fresh capital by developing nations, now more than ever, is of immediate necessity if the gains chalked in transforming the economies are not to be eroded and the standards of living of the peoples not to be dangerously lowered,” he said.

In a virtual address to the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, President Akufo-Addo called for a speedy reform of the world body to reflect Africa’s Common Position on UN Reform, as set out in the Ezulwini Consensus.

“The time has come for the adoption and endorsement of Africa’s common position on UN reform as set out in the Ezulwini Consensus so we can create a modern United Nations fit for purpose in our time,” he said.

The Ezulwini Consensus is a position on international relations and reform of the United Nations, agreed by the African Union. It calls for a more representative and democratic Security Council, in which Africa, like all other world regions, is represented.

President Akufo-Addo apprised the Session on the political situation in the sub-region and called on the UN and all Member States to lend their support to the efforts being made by ECOWAS to restore normalcy to Mali and defeat the scourge of terrorism.

He also reflected on Ghana’s significant role in marking the 400th Anniversary of the Transatlantic Slave Trade in 2019, at which the country welcomed Africans in the diaspora back to their roots, adding: “We owe it to their descendants to find the safe haven in Ghana if they should need it.”

He assured the United Nations of a transparent, free, fair, safe and credible elections in Ghana in December, which the continent would be proud of.

“At the end of the elections, we shall be proud of ourselves, Africa will have good cause to be proud of us, and the rest of the world will find lessons to learn from us,” he said.

The President told the world body that it was a matter of great pride that in spite of the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, Ghanaians had agreed to work together to ensure the elections came on as constitutionally scheduled.

He said the people of Ghana had resolved to make the elections, the eight since constitutional rule in 1992, a peaceful and credible exercise.

He said each of the elections had seen improvement on the previous and Ghana was looking forward to holding this year’s exercise in a peaceful manner.

“We are keenly aware of the reputation Ghana has built as a tolerant and working democracy, and we have every intention to nurture and improve upon it,” he stated.

Touching on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Akufo-Addo noted that the disease had affected, one way or the other, everyone and the world economy, but technology had been a useful tool in alleviating some of the challenges it had brought.

“Indeed, all our best laid plans have turned out to be of no use when faced with the ravages of an unknown virus’ the President said, pointing out that “the virus has taught us that we are all at risk and there’s no special protection for the rich or a particular class.”

“The lessons are clear. We all fell together and looked into the abyss together. Even as we closed our borders and shut airports, the reality dawned on all of us that we had to rely on each other to be able to get out of the trouble we were in”.

He said if the answer to the pandemic was in finding a vaccine, that vaccine should be made available to the whole world; rich and poor alike, developed and developing, all races and all beliefs.

“For as long as the virus exists, whatever medical solutions that might be found should be made available for all in aid of our common humanity,” he said.

The Session was on the theme: “The Future we want, the United Nations we need: Reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism – Confronting COVID-19 through effective multilateral action.”

GNA

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President Akufo-Addo Calls for Political Stability, Security in ECOWAS https://thecommerceafrica.com/president-akufo-addo-calls-for-political-stability-security-in-ecowas/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/president-akufo-addo-calls-for-political-stability-security-in-ecowas/#respond Tue, 22 Sep 2020 09:08:20 +0000 http://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=2025 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Chair of ECOWAS Monday tasked the President, Commissioners and Staff of the Commission to work to build a united, economically prosperous, politically stable, and secured Community that meets the aspirations of the citizens of the Community.

“As we round off the implementation of ECOWAS Vision 2020, and finalise the development of Vision 2050, we should strive to make ECOWAS a Community in which our dreams of prosperity, peace, security, integration and development are realised for the well-being of its citizens.”

The President made the call when he paid a working visit to the offices of the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, Nigeria.

He was there to interact with the management and staff of Community Institutions on the collective agenda on integration and development of West Africa.

President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that community would overcome and address the challenges of democracy, health, security, economy, trade and currency, only “in a spirit of genuine cooperation and solidarity.
“I believe that, collectively, we can all make ECOWAS the most viable regional bloc in Africa, and realise the vision of transforming ECOWAS from ‘a body of states to a community of peoples’,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo outlined his 5-point Agenda for the chairmanship of the Community, which include; the fight against terrorism; winning the fight against COVID-19; trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); the issue of a monetary union in ECOWAS; and the consolidation of democratic governance in the Region.

He commended the Commission for the successes in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture and humanitarian assistance, and urged the acceleration of the implementation of infrastructure projects such as the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project, the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan Corridor Development Programme, and the Dakar-Bamako Railway Project.

The ECOWAS Chair also urged the Commission to resolve as soon as possible, the high cost telecommunications, particularly roaming services.

He was hopeful that the community would expedite action to guarantee food security within the bloc, as that was vital to the development of the Community.

On humanitarian assistance in the region, the President noted that the persistent terrorist attacks and issues of climate change, particularly in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, had caused significant internal displacements of people.

“The Commission should remain seized on these matters, and continue to provide assistance to refugees and internally displaced persons in the Region,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo told the Commission that the present generation of Africans, are engineering the transformation of poor societies into prosperous ones on the basis of democratic values and principles.

“European, American and Asian industrialization took place at times of limited franchises and authoritarian institutions.

“Ours is being done with full universal adult suffrage, in open societies. This is the magnitude of our challenge, and the nature of our prize. We should all be proud of being frontline actors in this great drama,” he said.
GNA

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Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo Elected ECOWAS Chairman https://thecommerceafrica.com/ghanas-president-akufo-addo-elected-ecowas-chairman/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/ghanas-president-akufo-addo-elected-ecowas-chairman/#respond Mon, 07 Sep 2020 19:12:21 +0000 http://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=1857 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana was Monday unanimously elected Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), at the regional bloc’s 57th Summit, held in Niamey, Niger.

The President takes over from Nigerien leader Mahamadou Issoufou. He will hold that position for a year.

In an acceptance speech, President Akufo-Addo expressed his gratitude for the honour r done him, and pledged to give of his best live up to the challenges of the position.

“Excellencies, I am fully aware of the challenges which confront West Africa. Past leaders of ECOWAS have demonstrated their collective will and determination to drive the agenda of regional integration, opening up our economic frontiers, encouraging healthy competition amongst Member States, and ensuring that we adhere to our formative principles.

“As much as considerable progress has been made since the establishment of ECOWAS, some forty-five (45) years ago, we are all agreed that there is much more to be done to consolidate the socio-economic and political gains made over the years,” he said.

Hitting the ground running, the President Akufo-Addo called five challenges that needed immediate attention by member states – the continuing activities of terrorists in the Region, the COVID-19 pandemic, the imminent coming into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area on 1st January 2021, the 2020 decision on Monetary Union within the ECOWAS space; and the consolidation of democratic governance in the Community.

“The challenges, in these critical regional spheres, such as security, economy, trade, currency and health, must be addressed in a spirit of genuine co-operation and solidarity, if we are to succeed in overcoming them, which we can,” he said.

“In so doing, we must protect, at all costs, our freedom and independence of action, so that the development of our Community responds to the needs and aspirations of our peoples, and not to the goals of external agencies and forces.

“I am confident that, by the grace of God, I can count on the unstinting support of each one of Your Excellencies in navigating the immediate future of our Community.”

President Akufo-Addo rallied his counterparts to implement regional decisions, and to collaborate maintain the common values of governence, to enhance the integration agenda of the Community.

“Those of us who believe strongly in integration can do no better than to give our full support to regional decisions. Through this, we will build institutional confidence and integrity in the structural organs of ECOWAS,” he stated.

The President pressed the people of the Community to lend support to the decisions of bloc for the speedy development of the region.

“Our peoples deserve no less, and the objectives of peace, progress and prosperity will, thus, be within our reach, realising the historic purposes of ECOWAS,” he stated.

President Akufo-Addo is the fourth successive Ghanaian leader in the Fourth Republic to have been elected ECOWAS Chairperson. Former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor and John Dramani Mahama also enjoyed the privilege.

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AfCFTA Secretariat Launched In Ghana As Operations Start January 2021 https://thecommerceafrica.com/afcfta-secretariat-launched-in-ghana-as-operations-start-january-2021/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/afcfta-secretariat-launched-in-ghana-as-operations-start-january-2021/#respond Tue, 18 Aug 2020 07:32:01 +0000 http://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=1567 Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Monday commissioned and handed over the Secretariat building of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to the African Union Commission in Accra.

At a symbolic ceremony at the African Trade House, the President handed the keys to the Secretariat to Moussa Faki, Chairperson of the AU.

He also handed a scroll, the symbol of authority, to the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, Mr Wamkele Keabetwe Mene, kickstarting Africa’s push to create the world’s largest integrated market that would boost the continent’s growth and bring prosperity for its 1.27 billion people.

The Secretariat would house the offices of the AfCFTA Secretary-General and staff who would provide administrative support for the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement brokered by the AU that requires member state that have signed unto the agreement to remove tariffs from 90 percent of goods to allow for free access to commodities, goods, and services across the continent.

President Akufo-Addo, in his remarks, pointed out that the coming into being of the AfCFTA was one of the most important decisions taken by the AU considering the low intra-regional trade between african nations.

He noted that increased intra-regional trade would contribute to the continent’s quest to end endemic poverty and ensure the desired economic growth for Africa and its people.

“The last part of the growth and prosperity that we seek will come from us trading more amongst ourselves…We in Ghana believable increasing trade is the surest way to deepen Regional integration,” he stressed.

The President was optimistic that Africa’s new sense of urgency for economic integration would lay the foundation for an ‘Africa Beyond Aid’, and make the continent truly self-reliant.

And with it, will come a rapid increase in the exchange of agricultural, industrial, financial, scientific and technological products, which he said, “will significantly enhance our economic fortunes as a continent create profit and provided opportunities for employment for the broad masses of Africans, particularly the youth.”

“It will provide the vehicle for us to trade among ourselves in a more modern and sophisticated manner; it will offer a huge opportunity to exploit the abundant wealth and resources of our great continent for the benefit of all our people; and it will give us protection in how to deal with other trading blocks.”

President Akufo-Addo indicated that the coronavirus pandemic and the attendant disruption in the global supply chain had heightened the importance of the AfCFTA and reinforced the necessity for closer integration amongst countries “so that we can boost our mutual self-sufficiency, strengthen our economies, and reduce our dependence on external sources.”

He appealed to member states who were yet to ratify the AfCFTA Agreement to do so before the AU’s next extraordinary Summit scheduled for December 2020 to pave way for the smooth commencement of trading on January 1, 2021.

“We are now the world’s largest free trade area since the formation of the World Trade Organisation, and we must make it count,” he stressed.

54 member states have signed unto the Agreement. But 30 have so far approved its ratification.

President Akufo-Addo urged the AfCFTA Secretary-General to work towards building a strong, efficient and effective Secretariat, with the capacity to implement the various trade rules, in line with the text of the Agreement, to help build credibility, and reduce trade policy uncertainty in the continent.

“The world is watching to see whether the Secretariat will, indeed, provide the springboard for Africa’s economic integration and rapid growth, and I am confident that, under your tenure, it will.

“Mr. Secretary-General, be rest assured of the firm support of the Government of Ghana for your work and activities,” he added.

The President Akufo-Addo also commended the Nigeriene leader, Mahamadou Issoufou, who is also the current Chair of ECOWAS, for the work he has done in championing the African Continental Free Trade initiative.

He congratulated the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, current Chair of the Authority of the Assembly of the AU, for the benign, progressive guidance and supervision he has offered to make the handing over ceremony possible.

AfCFTA Secretary-General Meme noted that Africa continued to be trapped in a colonial economic model, which required the aggressive implementation of the AfCFTA as a tool for effecting a fundamental structural transformation of Africa’s economy.

“The AfCFTA is therefore a critical response to Africa’s developmental challenges. It has the potential to enable Africa to significantly boost intra Africa trade and to improve economies of scale through an integrated market.

“It has the potential to be a catalyst for industrial development, placing Africa on a path to exporting value-added products and improving Africa’s competitiveness both in its own markets and globally.

“It also sends a strong signal to the international investor community that Africa is open for business, based on a single rule-book for trade and investment,” he said.

He thanked the government and the people of Ghana, for hosting the Secretariat and for providing world class facilities “that will enable Africa to progress on the historic vision of achieving an integrated Africa”.
GNA

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Volkswagen Launches First Ghana-assembled Cars, Targets 5,000 Vehicles Annually https://thecommerceafrica.com/volkswagen-launches-first-ghana-assembled-cars-targets-5000-vehicles-annually/ https://thecommerceafrica.com/volkswagen-launches-first-ghana-assembled-cars-targets-5000-vehicles-annually/#respond Tue, 04 Aug 2020 07:00:40 +0000 http://thecommerceafrica.com/?p=1367 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Monday launched the first cars locally assembled by global automobile giant, Volkswagen, in Ghana.

The cars, the Tiguan and Tremont sport utility vehicles, the midsize Passat sedan and the Amarok pickup truck, were assembled at the Accra North Industrial Area Assembly Plant of VW in the first phase of production that will see the assembling of some 5,000 vehicles annually in Ghana by the German marque.

At a short ceremony in Accra, an elated President Akufo-Addo declared; “It’s a good day, a very good day for Ghana.”

That served as a growth point for government’s agenda for the industrial transformation of the country as well as a pointer to the confidence reposed in the Ghanaian economy by investors, he said.

The President said with recent estimates pegging the value of vehicle imports at a whopping USD1.5 billion annually, the development of a domestic automobile industry would promote import substitution and enhance the country’s export regime within the framework of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.

Further, the establishment of the Volkswagen assembly line in Ghana for both the domestic and the West African market would significantly reduce the country’s foreign import bills, enable it to save foreign exchange and strengthen the Cedi, he said.

That would also reduce the over reliance on used vehicle imports and create skilled jobs for the Ghanaian youth, he said.

President Akufo-Addo said the development would also enable Ghanaians to have access to affordable and a high-quality vehicles that matched global standards.

He cited the 60’s and 70’s when the Volkswagen Beetle was the vehicle of choice for most Ghanaian first time automobile buyers, saying; “It is gratifying to note that VW is going beyond the ‘Beetle’ to assemble in Ghana other brands, namely Tiguan, Teramont, Amarok, Caddy, Polo and Passat.”

“Volkswagen means ‘The People’s Car’ so I’m expectant that the brands being assembled in Ghana will not only be affordable, but also be of the highest quality.”

He pledged government’s support to ensuring the sustainability and profitability of the venture in Ghana, pointing out that the VW’s presence in the country had been facilitated by government’s bold move to develop the Ghana Automotive Development Policy.

President Akufo-Addo was hopeful that other global automobile companies, which had indicated their preparedness to set-up shops in Ghana, “will soon follow the remarkable and pioneering example of Volkswagen.”

He assured local stakeholders engaged in the automotive industry value-chain of government’s commitment to protecting their livelihoods.

He said his administration would continue to introduce appropriate incentives and support interventions to attract both foreign and local investments into the automotive assembly and manufacturing sector of Ghana.

“I have engaged with representatives of the various stakeholder groupings, and given them the assurance that Government will introduce the necessary policy safeguards to protect their interests, and enable them, also, over time, to adapt to the new realities of the emerging automotive sector,” the President said.

“It is worth noting that, already, a Ghanaian owned company, the Kantanka Group, is in possession of a license to undertake auto-assembly operations in Ghana. I believe the development and modernisation of the industry present a “win-win” opportunity for both foreign and local companies engaged in the industry value chain.”

The President was confident that Ghana was on course to a “bold new beginning” to develop large scale strategic anchor industries that would leap frog the country to the state of developed nations.

“We will make it,” he stated.

Volkswagen and the Government of Ghana on Thursday, August 30, 2018, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up an automotive assembly plant to produce Volkswagen cars in the country, during a brief visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Ghana.

Mr Thomas Schäfer, the Chairman and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group – South Africa, and Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Ghana’s Minister of Trade and Industry, signed the MoU at a ceremony witnessed by Ghana’s Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the German Leader Angela Merkel in Accra.

The Accra Assembly Plant is the fifth of such facilities established by Volkswagen in sub-saharan Africa.
GNA

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