Promoting Investment Opportunities In Ghana To Norwegian Businesses

On the 28th of October, an International business development forum was held in Bergen, Norway. The forum was organized by Master of International Business (MIB) students from The Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH). The forum was organized to examine specific market entry issues, with a focus on business culture and corruption in Eastern Europe and other developing countries.

NHH is the no.1 business school in Norway and also serves as a center of excellence for business research and studies in Norway. The school is also one of the leading schools in the Community of European Management Schools (CEMS). Admission to the MIB Programme is very competitive, with approximately 30 students being admitted every year from all over the globe. Currently, Kwabena Owusu Ampong, a Ghanaian, is a final year student in the programme and also the only student from Africa in the whole programme.

A country fair was organized as part of the International business development forum, of which Ghana was presented by Kwabena Owusu Ampong, an MIB student. About 20 different top Norwegian Companies were represented at the programme, including a Senior Advisor of the Norwegian Trade Council, Bergen Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Secretary General of Transparency International-Norway. Other companies represented included the Norwegian multinational, Norsk Hydro; Telenor; Reiber & S?n; Norges Export trade; etc.

Ghana was presented as the best and safest place in West Africa to be considered for Investment. The fact that we have had an internationally respected constitutional democracy for over a decade was also stressed At the Ghana stand, the companies were briefed about investment opportunities in Ghana and the very attractive incentives that the government of Ghana has put in place to attract Foreign direct investment (FDI).

It was realized that most of the companies new very little about Ghana. All they knew was that the whole West African countries were fighting, making the whole region a dangerous place, even to travel to, let alone invest. This kind of erroneous thinking was corrected and the delegates were made aware that even some Norwegian businesses were already operating in Ghana. The fact that Ghana was a member of MIGA of The World Bank (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency) and has also entered into IPPAs (Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements) with a host of countries was also stressed.

The delegates were very impressed to know that Ghana was the 2nd biggest producer of cocoa in the world and all appreciated the taste of Ghanaian chocolates and chocolate products, which were on display. The delegates were impressed to learn of the numerous by-products which could be obtained from cocoa and had positive comments about some sweet scented Cocoa Butter Soaps which were on display. They were also surprised to learn that the biggest artificial lake in the world, Lake Volta, was in Ghana and this offered a lot of investment opportunities in the tourism industry. All delegates were given a soft copy of a comprehensive Investor’s Guide to Ghana and other brochures.

In all, the programme was very successful. Special thanks are offered to: GIPC (Ghana Investment Promotion Council) – for providing the Investor’s Guides and other materials, CPC (Cocoa Processing Company Ltd) – for providing chocolates and other product, in addition to pictures and brochures. CRIG (Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana) – for providing Cocoa by-products and brochures. Ghana Embassy in Denmark – for also providing some materials and quality information.

On the 28th of October, an International business development forum was held in Bergen, Norway. The forum was organized by Master of International Business (MIB) students from The Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH). The forum was organized to examine specific market entry issues, with a focus on business culture and corruption in Eastern Europe and other developing countries.

NHH is the no.1 business school in Norway and also serves as a center of excellence for business research and studies in Norway. The school is also one of the leading schools in the Community of European Management Schools (CEMS). Admission to the MIB Programme is very competitive, with approximately 30 students being admitted every year from all over the globe. Currently, Kwabena Owusu Ampong, a Ghanaian, is a final year student in the programme and also the only student from Africa in the whole programme.

A country fair was organized as part of the International business development forum, of which Ghana was presented by Kwabena Owusu Ampong, an MIB student. About 20 different top Norwegian Companies were represented at the programme, including a Senior Advisor of the Norwegian Trade Council, Bergen Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Secretary General of Transparency International-Norway. Other companies represented included the Norwegian multinational, Norsk Hydro; Telenor; Reiber & S?n; Norges Export trade; etc.

Ghana was presented as the best and safest place in West Africa to be considered for Investment. The fact that we have had an internationally respected constitutional democracy for over a decade was also stressed At the Ghana stand, the companies were briefed about investment opportunities in Ghana and the very attractive incentives that the government of Ghana has put in place to attract Foreign direct investment (FDI).

It was realized that most of the companies new very little about Ghana. All they knew was that the whole West African countries were fighting, making the whole region a dangerous place, even to travel to, let alone invest. This kind of erroneous thinking was corrected and the delegates were made aware that even some Norwegian businesses were already operating in Ghana. The fact that Ghana was a member of MIGA of The World Bank (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency) and has also entered into IPPAs (Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements) with a host of countries was also stressed.

The delegates were very impressed to know that Ghana was the 2nd biggest producer of cocoa in the world and all appreciated the taste of Ghanaian chocolates and chocolate products, which were on display. The delegates were impressed to learn of the numerous by-products which could be obtained from cocoa and had positive comments about some sweet scented Cocoa Butter Soaps which were on display. They were also surprised to learn that the biggest artificial lake in the world, Lake Volta, was in Ghana and this offered a lot of investment opportunities in the tourism industry. All delegates were given a soft copy of a comprehensive Investor’s Guide to Ghana and other brochures.

In all, the programme was very successful. Special thanks are offered to: GIPC (Ghana Investment Promotion Council) – for providing the Investor’s Guides and other materials, CPC (Cocoa Processing Company Ltd) – for providing chocolates and other product, in addition to pictures and brochures. CRIG (Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana) – for providing Cocoa by-products and brochures. Ghana Embassy in Denmark – for also providing some materials and quality information.