GIPC Draws Foreign Investors

The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre( GIPC) is currently engaged in the review of the Investment Law, Act 478 of 1994 to make it more friendly to investors, especially Non-resident Ghanaians( NRG) to contribute their quota to the country's development goals.

In view of this, the centre and the office of the National Economic Dialogue have established a secretariat for non resident Ghanaians to minimize the problems they go through when they decide to settle or establish investment projects in the country.

The establishment of the secretariat, according to the Mr. Kwasi Abeasi, the chief executive of GIPC, has come after a long period of consultations and discussions among key stakeholders in government. Notably, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, and the National Economic Dialogue Secretariat.

According to him, the secretariat which has been temporarily housed at the offices of the National Economic Dialogue, is now permanently located at the Public Services Commission's building of the GIPC.

He made these remarks when he launched the NRG secretariat in Accra. With the view to harnessing the global Ghanaian resource potential for national development, he noted that the secretariat will provide a central point for the co-ordination of programmes and activities between Non-resident Ghanaians and the country.

The NRG secretariat, he noted, is expected to provide a central point to co-ordinate programmes and activities between Ghanaians living outside the country.

As the lead investment promotion agency in the country, the GIPC is poised to provide the relevant logistics and human resources to the secretariat.

Giving the head officer of the secretariat as Mr. Kwabena Antwi, he said its functions are to build, promote and maintain active communication among NRG's and home( Ghana), and institutionalize a green card system.

Also, he said the secretariat intends to strengthen Ghanaian Associations abroad through foreign missions.

Additionally, he noted that in collaboration with the Commonwealth Business Council, in their 'Africa Recruit' the programme which seeks to remove obstacles in African governments will assist to strengthen institutional capacities to realize their development goals.

He therefore hinted that constant advice will be given to the non resident Ghanaians about their investments climate and opportunities available with the establishment of the secretariat.

Investment clubs, he said, will be formed when the secretariat encourages and liaises with Ghanaians outside to undertake manufacturing activities in the country.

He expressed optimism of the formation of the first two Investment clubs in Vienna (4 Sight Investment club) and Canada respectively.

Expressing belief that the NRG fora is a potential source of knowledge which can tap to build the local sector, he called for the effectiveness of the secretariat in the delivering of its services to make the private sector vibrant.

On his part, the head officer of the secretariat, Mr. Kwabena Antwi, emphasized on the need to provide the necessary links for Ghanaian enterprises to flourish.

He promised to work to revive the investment sector to attract more investors into the country.