Social peace and economic prosperity is desired by all.
However, in the view of some people, those two things have eluded much of the African continent since it was gripped by the ugly paws of colonialism, followed by a succession of misguided dictatorships and civil wars in several countries.
However, a prominent African leader came to Indianapolis this week to say that both peace and great opportunities for prosperity can be found in one of the continent’s fastest growing countries – Ghana.
Cletus Avoka, a senior member of Ghana’s Parliament and a highly influential figure in African politics and international business, visited Indianapolis to showcase business opportunities in his country and promote closer economic and cultural ties between local entrepreneurs and Africa.
“This is a great opportunity for me to be here, and the people have been very hospitable,” Avoka told the Recorder. “They have been very supportive and I’m quite optimistic about the outcome of this exciting encounter.”
Avoka’s weeklong visit to Indianapolis officially began Monday with a special reception at the Skyline Club downtown, where several area business, community and political leaders gathered to hear him discuss the variety of opportunities in Ghana.
Throughout the rest of the week, Avoka visited various companies and universities around the state, and met with a host of commerce executives and educators.
In his discussion with the Recorder, Avoka noted that recently discovered oil in Ghana, as well as growth in the agro processing, energy, financial services, industrial and textile sectors of its economy have made it an attractive destination for both investors and tourists.
He upheld the country as a good place for local business owners to expand their enterprises and invest. Avoka, a key architect of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, noted that it has a stable democratic government structure, similar to that of the United States, as well as low interest rates, a strong currency and an educated workforce.
“We have become a middle income country with a thriving democracy where investments are protected,” Avoka said. “We have also improved our infrastructure and have a president who is a man of the people.”
Avoka added that Ghana has also expanded its main airport and the number of airlines that use it (from 11 to 37), and has built 200 new high schools and 10 colleges to educate its workforce.
“We have a skilled and ready workforce, as well as a solid legal framework to protect investors, and we warmly receive anyone who wants to do business in Ghana or simply visit,” said Avoka.
For some observers, Ghana, located on the coast of West Africa, has become a shining example of promise and stability in the developing world, at a time when the economies of many countries around the world has been contracting.
In a recent report released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ghana was praised for its Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program (PRGF), which the IMF credited for helping the country “achieve strong growth, single digit inflation, debt reduction” and an 11 percent reduction in the poverty rate.
“Ghana appears likely to fare better than many countries that are emerging from the global recession,” the IMF’s report indicated.
In a press briefing at the White House, Michele Gavin, current U.S. Ambassador to Botswana and a former special advisor on African affairs to President Barack Obama, said the president believes that Ghana provides an “example of extremely sound and strong governance” in the region.
Avoka’s visit was facilitated and organized by AbangaBeard, a growing construction management firm in Indianapolis owned and operated by entrepreneurs Jimmy Beard and Thomas Abanga, a native of Ghana.
AbangaBeard specializes in the areas of construction, industrial trading, trucking, energy efficient products and energy and renewable energy consulting.
“We are pleased that Mr. Avoka agreed to visit Indiana. We are dedicated to helping raise awareness of the increasing number of opportunities that are available in Ghana,” Beard said. “This is a winning scenario for both sides. Ghana can increase its investment, and at the same time our community has a chance to move forward in the area of international economic engagement.”
Like many observers, Abang and Beard has noticed increased investment in Africa’s emerging economies by China and some Arab countries, at a rate that is outpacing the United States. That, Abanga and Beard say, must change.
Interestingly, Avoka’s visit this week is not the only time that a prominent Ghanaian official has been in Indianapolis.
In 1960, William Halm, Ghana’s then ambassador to the United States, made a memorable visit as special guest for the Madame C.J. Walker Co.’s 60th Anniversary Celebration. Halm was warmly received by local African-American leaders and former Gov. Harold Handley, who gave him a Sagamore of the Wabash, the state’s highest honor.
When shown a photo of Halm’s visit, Avoka smiled, and said, “This is an example of the kind of engagement we need. It shows that then, and now, we have more things in common than we do differences.”
For more information, visit abangabeard.com or the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre at gipcghana.com.
