Akufo-Addo grabs top US award

President Akufo-Addo is scheduled to receive the 2018 U.S-Africa Business Center Outstanding Leaders Award.

The award ceremony will come off on September 24, 2018 between 4:15p.m to 4:30 pm at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York.

The U.S.-Africa Business Center Outstanding Leaders’ Award, DAILY GUIDE understands, is presented in recognition of regional, diplomatic, and economic leadership in Africa. President Macky Sall of Senegal is the first recipient of the award.

In a statement by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce U.S-Africa Business Center (USAfBC), President Akufo-Addo was chosen to be this year’s recipient of the award due to his leadership and commitment to championing trade and investment in order to help Ghana’s economy.

President Akufo-Addo has taken a giant step to industrialize Ghana through his One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative.

The flagship 1D1F initiative seeks to facilitate the construction of at least a factory in each district across the 10 regions of Ghana.

There has been massive public response to the project, leading to the springing up of several factories, with Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Carlos Kingsley Ahenkora promising Ghanaians recently at a sod-cutting ceremony of $80 million B5 Plus Limited Metal Factory at Ningo-Prampram in Greater Accra under the 1D1F, that by the end of the four-year tenure of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, the initiative which is the vision of the President, shall see a facelift.

Mr. Ahenkora indicated that so far, financial institutions in Ghana have pledged $2.5 billion for the 1D1F.

According to him, a couple of foreign financial institutions like the Indian Export and Import (EXIM) Bank and the US EXIM Bank have expressed interest in financing critical projects under the programme, saying about 100 candidates have been recommended to those financial institutions for investment consideration.

First Awardee

On November 11, 2016, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce honored President Macky Sall, with the U.S.-Africa Business Center Outstanding Leaders’ Award.

The Center presented the award at the US Chamber in recognition of President Sall’s leadership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Commenting on the award at the time, president of the U.S.-Africa Business Center and vice president of African Affairs for the U.S. Chamber, said “President Sall’s exemplary leadership has expanded opportunities for free enterprise throughout the ECOWAS bloc. Support for businesses in Senegal and throughout the region has brought job creation, market access, and greater partnership between the United States and Africa.”

About US Chamber Of Commerce

The US Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

Its International Affairs division includes more than 80 regional and policy experts and 25 country- and region-specific business councils and initiatives. The U.S. Chamber also works closely with 117 American Chambers of Commerce abroad.