Ghanaian business leaders applaud Rwanda’s development efforts

Ghanaian leaders from the public and private sector have applauded Rwanda’s transformation journey following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The 20 Ghanaian business leaders, investors and government officials were in the country on a five-day business trip last week to learn from Rwanda’s success story, according to Kojo Akoto Boateng, one of the organisers of the trip, dubbed ‘Hello Kigali Business Tour’.

Boateng said the team comprised business leaders, entrepreneurs and key public sector workers who sought solutions to “stimulate growth and efficiency” in their organisations back home.

“We chose Rwanda because of the progress the country has made to reform its institutions over the past two decades,” he said.

He said the team comprised of people from the media, real estate, legal practice, energy, investors, officials from the finance ministry and Ghana’s registrar general’s office.

The group arrived in Kigali on January 24 and left the country over the weekend. They visited Irembo, Rwanda Revenue Authority, Rwanda Development Board, Rwanda Natural Resources Authority, City Hall, the Special Economic Free Zone, Commercial Court and the Kigali Genocide Memorial during the tour.

Home takeaways

According to Boateng, the strides Rwanda has made so far impressed the Ghanaian delegation, adding that they picked key lessons they will use to improve operations back home.

“We were impressed by how Rwandan institutions have made significant innovations over the years and are using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to improve efficiency. One other important observation is how development is well co-ordinated and the city is clean and organised,” he said.

Daniel Adjei, noted that one of the lessons learnt include how Rwanda’s private sector has been at the core in driving the country’s economic growth.

“It was interesting to learn that the private sector and government work closely together to deliver key development projects,” he said.

Most of the delegates, particularly those from the public sector, said they would embrace ICTs back home to drive efficiency and business growth, particularly in taxation systems.

Earlier, Vivian Kai Lokko, the head of the delegation and head of business news desk at Citi FM, said the Ghanaians were eager to learn ‘unique’ experiences needed to grow their businesses.

The ‘Hello Kigali Business Tour’ was organised by Citi FM, one of Ghana’s leading English radio stations.

The CEO of Emerald Properties, Harry Quartey, sought to explore business opportunities in the real estate sector.