In the last two years, a steady decline in the price of gold has brought the operations of many mining companies in Ghana to an abrupt halt. As a result, job losses and a reduction in royalties and tax revenues have been felt. Ghana is Africa’s biggest gold producer after South Africa, and with the mining sector contributing to 5% of Ghana’s economic output, the downturn in the sector has served a serious blow to the nation’s coffers.
Chinese investors, often depicted as parasitic investors, are keen to tap into this opportunity. The Chinese owner of the Akroma Gold project recently completed the purchase of Viking Mines in Ghana for $10 million. There are other new discoveries taking place and, while the sector might not be buoyant now, requisite preliminary studies should be done to mechanize deposits there.
Despite the tough economic climate, gold mining companies are able to meet their obligations, with Goldfields recently paying a $4.5-million dividend to the Ghanaian government and a total of $25.3 million since 2010. The fiscal framework that governs the mining sector in Ghana is a shining example to mineral-rich countries with a porous system due to a lack of transparency and regulation.
The Chinese have pumped billions into the Ghanaian economy. Mining in Ghana is integral to the development of communities; it brings jobs and economic vibrancy. But, for all the synergistic Sino-African trade partnerships being developed, an ability on the part of the Chinese to disregard the honesty and statutes that govern Ghana, especially in the mining sector, raises concerns over whether these agreements are lopsided.
Also, the Ghanaian government’s clampdown on illegal mining has only been marginally successful. Chinese companies use locals to front their mining activity, thus appearing to be credible operations. The lack of rehabilitation done by these companies also further exacerbates the problem. Many sites are left abandoned with no consideration for the environment.
Many large firms neglect their duties to rehabilitate the areas they have worked in, making them inhabitable. Companies, surveyed between 2009 and 2012, failed dismally to keep in line with the environmental protection agency requirements – a damning indictment of the attitude adopted by many foreign firms.
The inability of most locals to get finance to start their own enterprise ensures that development remains at an artisanal level.
Other areas in West Africa are showing promise though. Both Liberia and Sierra Leone are showing signs of reviving their mining sectors. Sierra Rutile is a company that was able to withstand the pressures brought by the Ebola epidemic. They recently raised $44 million to construct a dry mine at Gangama in Sierra Leone. The funds will be used to expand the existing mine. Rutile is used for the production of metal, specifically titanium. The investment will increase production and will provide more jobs.
Another mining company, Aureus Mining, has also signaled its intent to bring a new mine in Liberia into production. With the relative successes emerging in the region, there is confidence being shown by investors to reignite their interests in the mining sector and with it the hope that the sentiment spreads to other countries across West Africa.
The next step for the region is to engage stakeholders to develop concessions and form strategic partnerships. With industry being the buzzword for Africa to reach its full economic potential, the fact remains that infrastructural challenges are still an obstacle. Poor roads affect the transportation of materials. A lack or railways reduces the amount of goods that can be transported. The lack of power is another thorn in the side. The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) must integrate by encouraging free trade between the regional countries. By identifying the above issues, governments can make a concerted effort to tackle them.

Work To Be Done But There Is Hope

As former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan observed in his Millennium Report, “New technology offers an unprecedented chance for developing countries to ‘leapfrog’ earlier stages of development. Everything must be done to maximize their peoples’ access to new information networks.” Information and communications technology (ICT) is considered an important tool for growth in developing economies.
Not only does ICT have immense benefits to an economy but some argue that, in an increasingly globalized economy, countries that fail to get connected will fall even further behind. One such proponent of this argument, and a man who is passionate about preventing Ghana from such a dismal fate, is Herman Chinery-Hesse, the founder and chairman of SOFTtribe, the largest indigenous software firm in Ghana.
Born to civil servant parents in Dublin, Ireland, Chinery-Hesse and his two siblings grew up in many African and European cities. This may have contributed to his restless desire to discover new things. He attended Westlake High School in Texas and then graduated from Texas State University with a degree in manufacturing and engineering technology. Chinery-Hesse then moved to London where he worked as a manufacturing engineer. It was here that he discovered his love for software.
“I was working for a company who were carrying out the computerization of the company and they selected me to be part of the team because I was schooled in the States, hence it was assumed I would be good at programming,” he says.
With some basic experience in robotics, Chinery-Hesse took up the challenge and learned everything he needed to know about the new computerization software. After a short period of time, he mastered the programming and was managing the company’s new production system.
This was when his love for programming was born.
“I liked programming more than engineering because you can see the results of your work straight away, with engineering you can spend your whole lifetime just building a bridge,” he says.
Chinery-Hesse already had a basic knowledge of programming. While in college, he and his roommate used software programming to generate call cards to make illegal calls. However, his skills were honed when he was in Britain. With his first paycheck he bought a computer and taught himself programming. His skills developed so well, he quit his engineering job and started programming and consulting from home.
Despite his success, Chinery-Hesse missed Ghana.
“The pan-Africanist in me never wanted to stay abroad, so I packed my stuff after a while, came back to Ghana for a holiday and never went back,” he says in his usual offhanded and matter-of-fact way.
On his return to the motherland, Chinery-Hesse had to decide whether to do manufacturing or programming. He originally chose manufacturing but realized there was one key barrier in his way.
“I didn’t have any money to set up a factory, but I had a computer and that was my factory.”
Chinery-Hesse set up his ‘factory’ in his bedroom with one computer and began programming. His company, SOFTtribe, grew organically with no major investment. Soon, Chinery-Hesse developed enough software programs to buy a second computer and then a third. His first client was a friend who, about 20 years ago, gave him a contract to computerize his farm for around $4,000. Without properly assessing how much work needed to be done, Chinery-Hesse accepted the challenge and began working. Other contracts, with clients such as Expertravel and Ghana Airways, soon followed.
At a time where information technology was almost non-existent in Africa, it was a risk to start his business.
“[President Kwame] Nkrumah told me there was nothing I could not do. If we want to build rockets, we can build rockets, it is just a matter of decision,” says Chinery-Hesse.
Following the dream of the man who led Ghana to independence, Chinery-Hesse was determined to prove that information technology was the way forward. There were challenges; in those days, a lot of clients had no idea what they needed and Ghana also has a culture of preferring not to pay for services.
Chinery-Hesse had to be innovative in his approach. He decided to package products, which provided key services, and sell it. SOFTtribe marketed and sold all its products to different sectors. Point of sale software was created for all the major multinationals, networking platforms developed for small businesses, as well as solutions for oil and gas, software products for the agriculture sector and consumer products for households.
SOFTtribe immediately made a turnover and doubled its growth each year until, at its peak, it had over 100 employees. Inevitably, the company had to move from Chinery-Hesse’s bedroom to its own office. Today, SOFTtribe is the most significant player in the software market in Ghana.
With growing competition from established brands, like Oracle, Microsoft and IBM, SOFTtribe is one of the last indigenous Ghanaian software firms still fighting the good fight.
Chinery-Hesse believes the government should do more to help local business win contracts and provide services that local business’ can utilize.
“When you help a foreign company set up in Ghana, they make money and transfer their money into dollars and ship it out of the country, which causes greater strain on the cedi,” says Chinery-Hesse.
Local business, like SOFTtribe, will keep the money within the Ghana’s borders and create more jobs for Ghanaians.
Chinery-Hesse believes Africans have the power to solve Africa’s problems. With SOFTtribe, he has proved this.

‘If We Want To Build Rockets, We Can Build Rockets’

June 3, 2015 is a day etched into the memory of Ghanaians. It is a day that floods swept through Accra in hours, claiming more than 200 lives, gutting buildings, destroying cars and setting off a devastating explosion at a petrol station.
Similar to the previous days, it started raining at dawn. On this particular day, I remember stepping out of my flat and saw rainfall heavier than usual. I rushed to the car ready to face the day with my designated driver, my manager. We were running late for our meetings and decided on a route that would save time, the Kwame Nkrumah Circle. The already eroded roads had started forming pools and the rain made it impossible to see clearly. Through my impaired vision, I could see the heavy wind blow billboards over and informal traders scurry to nearby shelters to escape the incessant thrashing of the downfall.
<div id="attachment_3863" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3863" class="size-medium wp-image-3863" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AP20150606APS3396-1024x683-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />Ghana Gas Station Explosion</div>
The police officers who normally stood on the roadside to do the job of the faulty traffic lights had chosen to neglect their post. This created a massive jam.
As we battled through the sluggish traffic, chaos erupted and a mass of people ran towards us in panic. Amid the confusion, we decided to follow suit and turn the car around but the congestion made it impossible. Up ahead, I saw cars floating in the murky water that was overflowing from the poorly built drainage systems. Across the road, a woman running towards shelter with her baby, lost her footing in the thigh-high water and disappeared. Two men dived in to try and save them.
Panic set in and I realized all the cars around us had suddenly become floatation devices. We decided to make a dash for it but the doors were jammed. My manager was yelling for help but gave up. As the cold water rushed in the car, my manager frantically tried to break the window. Our fear rose with the water.
On my left, I saw two women vanish under the water as they were hit by a floating car. I thought to myself, “this is it Peace, get ready to die.” As the water reached waist level, the welcome sound of shattering glass came. Three young men had smashed the back window and were yelling for us to climb out. The air was heavy with trepidation. People on the rooftops were screaming out directions to people on the street turned rescuers. We dragged our feet through the gushing water and howling wind to reach safety. Some were standing on the roofs of their cars, trying to use them as lifeboats.
As we continued moving away from the car, I lost my footing, on what was once a sturdy pavement, into what felt like a bottomless pit. I had dropped into an open gutter and felt a sharp pain in my back. The brown water turned red as everything faded to black.
I woke up in a hospital bed. My manager, who helped save me, told me that I fell in a ditch, was suspended by barbed wire and impaled by a floating car part. A couple of stitches, several staples and two blood transfusions later, I am lucky to be able to recount the event.
The next day, a stone’s throw from where we almost died, many others did. A petrol station was engulfed in flames following an explosion. It is thought that petrol seeped into the flood water and was ignited by a spark from a generator. It resulted in the deaths of more than 200 people sheltering from torrential rain. I wondered if it had been any of the women I saw the day before, the women who believed they had made it to safety.
I will never forget these days. I know how close I came to joining the hundreds that lost their lives. I am both angry and sad. I’m angry because there is no reason that proper drainage systems could not have been built in an area which has a history of flooding. I’m sad because I know the problem will not be solved soon.
I am also proud to be a Ghanaian. I witnessed heroism from strangers who risked their lives to save people they did not know. I saw a community pull together to fight for the most fundamental human right, the right to life. The media might forget these tragedies, I won’t. To those unsung heroes, Ghana is forever indebted to you.

Suspended By Barbed Wire AND Impaled On A Car Part

On a sunny Friday afternoon, amid the hustle and bustle of city life, Frederick Deegbe was shopping in the retail district of Accra, Oxford Street, when he came across a pair of Pierre Cardin shoes. On his way home, after purchasing the shoes, he asked a shoemaker if it was possible to create the same quality of shoe in Ghana and the answer was an emphatic “no!”
Realizing that a lack of education might be a contributing factor to the pessimistic answer he got from the shoemaker, Deegbe asked a group of educated friends and other professionals the same question. The answer was the same.  “No!”
“I asked myself, ‘if we believe we cannot make shoes in Africa, when are we ever going to be able to make airplanes?’” says Deegbe.
He decided to dig a little bit further into the luxury shoe market.  Deegbe discovered that it was a $500-billion market with an average pair of luxury shoes selling for $4,400.
“I said to myself, ‘someone out there is willing to pay me [$4,400] if I can create a shoe of the same standard.’”
That was all the motivation he needed. After a year and a half of research and planning, he quit his job as a banker to pursue luxury shoemaking fulltime and Heel The World was born. The name is apt; it represents Deegbe’s mission to prove that Ghanaians can produce high-end products that are of an international standard.
“I didn’t have all the answers, but I knew there had to be a social cause involved with the brand to give back to Ghana,” says  Deegbe.
He challenged his artisans to push the boundaries and made them believe that they had what it took to create shoes on the same level as those in the international fashion world. He sourced high-end materials and created designs that were original and contemporary. But there was something missing, which led to wrist beads being added to the Heel The World brand.
“At 1AM, we had a eureka moment. Why don’t we create beads? And then the lights went off,” says Deegbe.
The customary load shedding of electricity in Ghana, affectionately named ‘dumsor’, sparked an idea to use black beads in addition to gold detail. The black symbolized hard work and the gold was the reward.
Through social media, the Heel The World empowerment beads became an instant hit, selling thousands across Africa. Since then,  Deegbe has become a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, spoken on the same panel as Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, and received the best fashion brand award from the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama. He has also had regular features on CNN and BBC and achieved all this in just three years. The brand is currently in talks with Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury goods department store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York.
Despite this, Deegbe still has several hurdles to overcome. Some feel that the ostentatious price of his shoes is unwarranted, especially with the current state of Ghana’s economy. He is however unyielding in his passion to show that talent exists within the manufacturing sector in Africa.
Also, proceeds from the sale of the luxury shoes go back into training and empowering young craftsmen to produce high-end products that can compete in international markets.
“Africa definitely provides a longer-term growth opportunity for luxury brands. The shifting appetite and behavior of consumers in this segment will require luxury goods retailers to develop a sophisticated but uniquely African approach to reach and satisfy the growing demand for luxury goods in this segment,” says Rodger George, Africa Leader for Consumer Business at Deloitte.

The Bright Idea In The Dark

Across the continent, we are failing to get girls and women interested in IT,” says Ghanaian IT entrepreneur Enyonam Kumahor, who has been in tech for many years. Besides running her own firm, the Cobalt Partners, she is the co-founder of Ghana Women in IT (GWITT), a platform providing Ghanaian women working in technology an opportunity to network and share experiences, whilst encouraging others.
“Half of the African population is female, yet the number of women in tech is less than one per cent of the continent’s total IT workforce,” says Kumahor. She stresses that this however does not mean that the entire region is under-performing.
“Ghana is doing well. We have various women running their own very successful IT businesses. Others are heading large tech companies. Mobile phone operators Airtel and Tigo are headed by women, and so is the Ghanaian branch of Microsoft. Kenya is not doing bad either. In South Africa, on the other hand, there is a genuine lack of diversity. This is worrisome,” she says.
Statistics by the South African Institute of Information Technology Professionals confirm Kumahor’s statements. The data shows that women in the Rainbow Nation hold 20% of all professional tech jobs. The global percentage stands at 56%.
There are several reasons behind the poor appetite for tech amongst Africa’s female population.
“There is a sense that tech is too difficult for women, that it is a guys’ environment, and that we can’t be mothers, wives, and software developers,” says Kumahor.
“Female science students are often pushed into more traditional fields. Medicine and engineering are all seen as more preferable to IT. We need to demystify technology and make it more accessible to girls and women. We need to start harnessing the female interest from a young age, for instance by developing school programs that make tech fun.”
While men have a definite responsibility in opening up the field of IT to women in Africa, they are not the sole role players, Kumahor stresses.
“There is a shortage of visible and vocal female role models in IT. Women who have made it in technology, should show their faces more. They are too quiet,” she says. “I don’t hear many established tech women from Africa talking about giving up-and-coming counterparts a chance. Personally, I think that each and every successful female IT professional should take a couple of newcomers under her wings, and mentor and inspire them intentionally. This is not yet happening. GWITT hopes to play a part in changing this and persuade women to get involved.”

Enyo

‘Too Few  African  Women In Tech’

When Ben Ajofu was diagnosed with hypertension at the age of 35, doctors told him he would be on medication for the rest of his life. Ajofu proved them wrong; within three to six months of taking moringa, he realized his blood pressure had lowered.
“I didn’t really want to take medication at 35 for the rest of my life,” says Ajofu.
The improvement in Ajofu’s health led to him becoming one of the most enthusiastic advocates of the moringa plant in Ghana. He is the founder of Moringa King, a producer of juice and powder containing parts of the plant.
The moringa leaf is thought to have numerous health benefits. The plant contains high amounts of magnesium, potassium, zinc and vitamin E, which are important nutrients to combat hypertension, a condition of unusually high blood pressure.
Growing up, Ajofu thought he would become an engineer or a pilot. His parents always put education first. At the age of 11, Ajofu moved to Britain and completed his university degree there. Although he began working at the age of 17 as a bicycle mechanic, it was during his first year at university that his entrepreneurial journey began.
“The mobile phone network Orange had just launched in the UK so we approached an Orange dealer, grabbed a couple of phones and started selling them in university,” says Ajofu.
The success of this led to Ajofu setting up Business Mobiles after university, a company that sold mobile phones to businesses in Britain.
“I was approached by some investors in the UK who were interested in investing in Ghana because of my Ghanaian heritage and as a result I provided consultation on the Ghanaian terrain,” says Ajofu.
During one of his trips to Ghana, Ajofu discovered the moringa plant. After extensive research, he realized the health benefits the plant could provide.
“I realized moringa was very good for regulating blood pressure, combined with a healthy lifestyle. I did more research and established that most households in Ghana have a moringa tree but the main issue was how to access the nutrients from the plant,” he says.
He formulated a drink full of the plant’s nutrients.
“Moringa King came out of a need for myself to find a solution, so I didn’t have to be dependent on using medication for the rest of life and, after seeing the results, I knew others would benefit from the product too.”
The start-up phase of the business was arduous. Ajofu began by sourcing raw materials that were sustainable and readily available. Ghana is the largest exporter of pineapple in Africa and hence has an abundant supply.
“My wife and I would wake up early each morning to get pineapples and blend them into juice before adding the moringa. We did not have a car so we used taxis to deliver to clients,” says Ajofu.
Before they could sell the product, Ajofu had to overcome the difficulty in securing certification of his product by the Food and Drugs Authority in Ghana. After three years of trading, the company has a staff of 10 and an annual turnover of GHC300,000 ($79,000). It counts two of the world’s largest hotel brands, Movenpick and Kempinski, as clients as well as being stocked in all the major fitness and retail outlets in the country.
“The plan is to expand and get a farm whereby we can control access to raw materials for our production. We are also speaking to local growers and getting women involved in agriculture so we can buy from them and as a result have an impact in local communities,” says Ajofu.
There is a methodical process to get the finished product.
“We harvest only the best leaves, then we go through a washing process to get rid of any organisms in the leaves. After this the leaves are juiced. We then get pineapple from a farm, which we process, into pineapple juice and blend the moringa into the juice along with dandelion leaf and raw ginger. The final product is the Moringa King juice.”
Moringa King has ambitious plans and is looking to increase production so it can enter the markets in neighboring West African countries as well as be stocked in major international retail outlets. To do this the company needs investment, something Ajofu has found difficult to source. In addition to his own money, Ajofu has relied on friends and family to fund the Moringa King business. With bank interest rates being too high and government funds extremely difficult to access, private investment is the only way the company can grow. In the meantime, Ajofu is keen to grow the company organically and is optimistic about the future.
Although he started the business to make money, Ajofu is pleased that his products also improve the health of his customers.
“My juice is actually transforming lives in terms of making people healthier and better. That is a secondary benefit of product but it is fulfilling to know that my product is transforming lives,” says Ajofu.
Like the juice, the business looks to be healthy.

A Healthy Body And  Business

Dr. Ben Sarkodie is a medical maverick in Ghana. His use of interventional radiology is unorthodox in the country. Interventional radiology is relatively new in the medical world, allowing doctors to treat and diagnose diseases without using invasive procedures.
Sarkodie came across this specialist field in a chance encounter during an exchange program in the United States (US). However, his passion to see the practice become a vital method of medical diagnosis was borne out of one tragic event.
Five years ago, a good friend of Sarkodie sought treatment from him for an ongoing heart condition. The patient had already undergone several surgeries to help solve the heart problem. She arrived at Sarkodie’s office for a routine check-up. It was far from routine.
“Before we could start our procedure, she had a sudden cardiac arrest and dropped to the floor,” says Sarkodie.
Responsible for more than 400,000 deaths a year, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a condition that causes the heart’s normal rhythm to become chaotic and stop pumping blood effectively, leading to the victim’s collapse with no detectable pulse. SCA can strike anyone at any time.
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“My biggest pain was that we couldn’t do that much to help save the life of this good friend,” says Sarkodie.
There are many challenges involved in practicing medicine in this part of the world. Basic lifesaving equipment needed for emergency situations like this are not available in many hospitals. A common response to SCA is the use of a defibrillator, which provides a lifesaving electric shock that restores the heart’s rhythm.
“We should be able to resuscitate someone who has just got a cardiac arrest, you want to be able to give the patients some lifesaving shocks, and if you do not even have a defibrillator, how do you do that?” asks Sarkodie.
He had to watch his friend die because he did not have the necessary equipment. It was difficult for Sarkodie to accept.
“For the next three days, I locked myself in my house. I didn’t want to be a doctor again, I didn’t think I could continue. The biggest shock was to see a fellow human being passing away and I was absolutely helpless. We did all we could but we were very limited with the resources we had,” he says.
Sarkodie knew he wanted to be a doctor from early childhood. His uncle was a doctor and Sarkodie would follow him to theater while he was in secondary school. It was all the inspiration the schoolboy needed.
Sarkodie attended medical school at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. He started out enthusiastically but Sarkodie’s interest waned after three years.
“I am more like a maverick, I like to be challenged and I like to do new things, so after studying theory for three years, I completely lost interest,” says Sarkodie.
Things changed when Sarkodie was part of a medical exchange program at the Thomas Jefferson University in the US. This was his first exposure to interventional radiology.
“I said to myself this is so cool and I would love to do something like this,” says Sarkodie.
The exchange program was eye-opening. Sarkodie took part in radiological investigations. He used imaging techniques and some interventional procedures, like putting tubes into kidneys to alleviate blockages. The program lasted only two months but Sarkodie’s bond with interventional radiology would stay with him for life. Upon his return to Ghana, he realized how niche the subject was. The medical school in Ghana did not have a radiologist; they had to hire an expert from Britain to come down every four weeks to teach the subject.
After more than 10 years of studying, Sarkodie finally qualified as a senior consultant in radiology.
“Every doctor needs a radiologist because if we do not diagnose the condition, how do you manage it?” says Sarkodie.
He further honed his skills in interventional radiology by practicing in Singapore before his return to Ghana. Interventional radiology is used to treat conditions without traditional surgery, X-rays, and MRI scans.
“We are able to help in every discipline, including fibroids, which traditionally will be treated by a gynaecologist for example. In terms of surgery, instead of amputation, we are able to insert catheters and solve the problem locally,” says Sarkodie.
Following the death of his friend, the practice has gained even more prominence for Sarkodie.
“Cardiac intervention for patients like her now exists, which would have easily saved her life,” says Sarkodie.
The tragedy still haunts him to this day.
“I told myself ‘we can’t save everybody unfortunately. We would love to, but we can’t.’ I started looking at all the people I had helped to get back on their feet, people who keep sending me messages to say thank you, people who still call me today and send cards and gifts to say ‘thank you for what you did for me, and because of what you did, I am still here.’ That put me back on track.”
There are still many problems in the medical world, and if lives are going to be saved in the future, Sarkodie, with the help of interventional radiology, will lead the way.

A Tragedy That Led To Many Lives Saved

Every time Nicole Amarteifio turned on primetime television in Ghana, she struggled to find a character she could identify with. A character who was a strong, black, college-educated woman born in Ghana and raised in America, just like her.
Amarteifio soon found she was not alone in her thinking; other women she knew also shared her sentiments, tired of seeing African women playing supporting roles on TV or nothing at all.
And then, one day, watching re-runs of Sex and the City, the popular American TV series, the idea hit Amarteifio: why not create an African version of the show?
Thus was born An African City, a YouTube web series following the lives of five women who, after years abroad, return to Ghana.
“African women, for so long, have been told that they are invisible, it [was] important to have a show that screams out: ‘Not true! You are visible and I see you’,” says Amarteifio.
She drew on her own life for inspiration. At a young age, her family had relocated from Ghana to New York. Her father wanted the family to experience ‘the American dream’ as he once had as a student at Wesleyan University, Connecticut.
But life in The Big Apple was not easy. “I grew up in a neighborhood where I was often the only black child in my entire class, which meant often having a swarm of white faces that would look at me when subjects such as black crime in the inner city or name-a-disease on the African continent came up.”
She decided she was going to find out what it meant, for her, to be black.
When her maternal grandmother visited the family in New York, she would enlighten her with stories from her life in Ghana as Queen Chief in the town of Akuapem in the Eastern Region.
“She would tell me stories about her Caucasian husband who worked for the British colonial government&#8230; my grandparents’ interracial marriage was among one of the first documented interracial marriages in West Africa,” she says.
Amarteifio looked forward to summer holidays in Accra where she would immerse herself in the culture.
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cars in africa?
“After a while, I was less interested in ‘the American dream’ of my parents [and] more interested in what ‘the African dream’ could mean for me and my peers.”
After a bachelor’s degree in African Studies from Brandeis University, in Waltham, Massachusetts, she relocated to Ghana where she worked in various companies, hoping to change the way African women were portrayed in the media. But a career in media didn’t satisfy her; she felt she could impact more people with TV.
In the first episode of My African City, Amarteifio depicts a situation many Africans can relate to. When Nana Yaa (played by actress MaameYaa Boafo) proudly gives her Ghanaian passport to the immigration officer, he responds saying: “You’re Ghanaian? You don’t look or sound like a Ghanaian.”
“There are so many of us who have left and have returned, but we are no less African. I will not be marginalized and I will not be told who I am&#8230;rather, let me tell you who I am,” says Amarteifio.
Since its debut in March 2014, An African City has resonated with many people around the world. But the show has had many challenges.
Initially Amarteifio struggled to convince investors and TV networks to buy into the concept. She invested $1,000 from her savings into the series, and cut costs by using YouTube to broadcast her show.
“There are certainly some people from the West who watch the show and say, ‘Wait? They have cars in Africa?’ My series is about showing the Africa they never show you.”
As the series, now shooting its third season, gains success, Amarteifio hopes people will start to see Africa in a positive light, highlighting success stories.
“There are flaws in the ‘Africa Rising’ rhetoric, but I would take that rhetoric over the ‘Dark Continent’ message any day,” she says.

FWA-2014-Oct-Nov-060-061-An-African-city-002

‘We Are No Less African’

A little girl, not more than three years old, touches the lifeless body of her seven-year-old sister who has just succumbed to Ebola. She cries when her sister does not respond. They are both in the isolation ward at the Kailahun Treatment Centre at the epicenter of the Ebola crisis in eastern Sierra Leone. With the death of the last member of her family, the little girl’s world has shrunk. Who knows, if it will close in on her as well.
It’s a heart-breaking scene, but Esther Wanjiru, a volunteer doctor from Kenya with Medecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors Without Borders, has witnessed it many times over the last few months.
“Just days earlier, we had to prise the seven-year-old away from her little sister. They didn’t want to be separated, but both were very ill and [the older] simply became too sick to continue caring for the little one,” says Wanjiru.
Each time death comes calling at this Ebola camp, Wanjiru says it’s a terrible experience.
“When you watch this on television, these are Ebola patients. But when you are here, these are families suffering great tragedy.”
Wanjiru, 27, is on the frontline of the Ebola crisis along with countless other volunteer doctors who are putting their lives at risk to care for the sick and dying.
It’s a mammoth task trying to contain a virus that has the potential to decimate whole populations in days.
Wanjiru arrived in Kailahun District in July for a second mission with Doctors Without Borders. On her first mission, she had been shaken by the sight of the isolation wards.
“I had never seen anything like it before,” she says. However, returning yet again to the wards, she hopes the African public understands the magnitude of the Ebola scare.
“It’s high time the world woke up, this virus has spread so fast.”
The virus, Wanjiru claims, takes away more than a victim’s life and its ramifications are not stated enough.
“I quickly realized there are many factors, it’s not just about isolation wards, but about kids being left alone, communities who are afraid and patients being left to die in their homes. These are things that are not being addressed. Pledges are not enough, we need people in the field, we need more people hands-on.”
Wanjiru fears for her life, every day.
“Yes of course I’m scared, it’s one of the deadliest diseases on earth. When I left for the mission, my family thought I was crazy. But as a doctor, I thought if I can help in any way, why not? This virus can affect many countries and by doing this, I’m also helping protect my family, my friends and my country,” she says.
After her arrival, Wanjiru was briefed on the dangers and procedures in the field. And although she does not don the most convenient – or flattering – of ensembles, she is now used to the protective gear.
“Luckily it’s not that hot at the moment. I find the most difficult part of the clothing is having my face covered, but if it gets too much, I go outside for a break.”
The doctor works an 80-hour week, sometimes more when on call. Wanjiru’s day consists of ward rounds and daily briefings. And despite the long hours, she says she wakes up thinking about her patients from the previous day. Death is a constant here.
She remembers a toddler and his mother, both of who survived and were reunited. Their survival is a small triumph.
Wanjiru returns to Kenya in October and is looking forward to having chapatis (Indian bread) again. But the trip home may be temporary. The young doctor says she’s willing to return to the ward “in a heartbeat”.

FWA-2014-Oct-Nov-014-015-RPRT-Ebola-002

On The Ebola Frontline

The Ebola virus is spreading across Africa, taking fear with it.
“They say Ebola has no cure. The unknown has arrived. Nobody knows how to deal with this Ebola, not even the government!” John-Thomas Mensah, an Accra-based taxi driver tells FORBES AFRICA in the Ghanaian capital.
The Ebola scourge has spawned new social rules, with people being told they are not allowed to hug or shake hands. New superstitions have arisen, with some believing that drinking or bathing with salty water and eating the West African plant, bitter kola, will treat the disease. Some businesses are cashing in on the rush for disinfectants, soaps and hand sanitizers.
In August, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the West Africa Ebola outbreak a public health emergency. It triggered global alarm as countries stepped up precautions and testing. It is the largest Ebola outbreak to date and began in Guinea in March. Liberia has been the worst hit, with 70% of the casualties. Ebola has infected nearly 5,400 and claimed 2,630 lives, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Nigeria recorded eight deaths as at the end of August.
Beyond medicine, the epidemic has dampened business and left the informal economy, that fuels West Africa’s cross-border commerce, in a coma. Millions of West Africans are traveling traders and workers who crisscross the region’s porous borders for their daily bread.
Nigeria, which accounts for around 168 million of West Africa’s 260 million people, has not shut its borders, but almost every other country in the region has stopped border traffic, all in a bid to restrict the spread of Ebola. In late September, Nigeria declared itself Ebola-free.
Airlines discontinued flights to and from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and neighboring countries. Freight rates to West Africa are expected to rise as ship owners avoiding the region are choosing to berth at alternative ports. In mid-August, a Chinese-flagged ship heading out of Sierra Leone to Cape Verde had its crew quarantined in Sao Vicente.
The Ebola scare has also reared its ugly head in South Africa. The most worrying was a patient in August who displayed low risk symptoms and was admitted to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital as a precaution. Luckily, the patient tested negative for Ebola at the special diseases ward at the hospital.
“The patient is in isolation and there is no need for the general public to panic. He will not be put in contact with another patient. He is in isolation, in a special ward that deals with hemorrhagic fever,” says Joe Maila, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health.
Eleven hospitals across South Africa were issued with protective gear in readiness for any possible outbreak, says Maila.
East Africa is also taking precautions.
The health sector there is poorly funded and all member states agree that they need to coordinate efforts to keep Ebola at bay. Little of this is evident on the ground.
Uganda has suffered from Ebola in the past and claims it is well prepared. Together with Rwanda and Burundi, Uganda borders the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has confirmed strains of the virus.
The region is on high alert and any slight indication of the virus in these countries may lead to the type of isolation experienced in West Africa. Business, including East Africa’s fledging oil and gas sector, will be hit.
WHO classified Kenya as a high-risk area because of the number of flights from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to the infected countries. Kenya Airways, the third largest carrier on the continent, is feeling the pinch after suspending some of its flights to West Africa. RwandAir and Ethiopian Airways are yet to follow suit but promise stringent surveillance.
Help has come from far and near. The United States’ (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has about 60 disease detectives and other health experts in the region. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has reportedly committed $14.5 million. The Wellcome Trust and Britain’s Department for International Development (DFID) have also announced a joint $10.8-million emergency research fund.
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, through his Dangote Foundation, has given $3.2 million to the Ebola Emergency Operation Centre in Lagos, where the nation’s first case of Ebola was found in Liberian-American national Patrick Sawyer who died in a Lagos hospital four days after arriving from Liberia.
Despite these measures, and assurances by the WHO and local authorities, sections of the international community continue to fear that Ebola could spread across the vast African continent. With multinationals placing travel restrictions to West Africa, trips to Africa are either being postponed or canceled. The tourism sector in East and Southern Africa has been the hardest hit.
Ebola is not going away in a hurry.

FWA-2014-Oct-Nov-014-015-RPRT-Ebola-001

Africa’s Worst nightmare

The first time Efya held a microphone to sing at a church service in Accra, Ghana, she was so overwhelmed by the crowd’s resounding applause she broke down in tears while on stage.
She was only 10 years old—a little girl with a very big voice. Church members were left in awe and this is when she knew she had something special.
Many years later, Efya is a multi-award winning Afro neo-soul artist determined to put Ghanaian music on the world map.
I met with the effervescent entertainer at the Four Points Hotel in Lagos, where she shared her love for soulful African music and her hunger for world domination.
When did you know that you wanted to pursue music as a career?
I’ve been singing since I was six years old. My family was very involved in church activities. I liked to sing but I didn’t really discover my voice until I was 10 years old, when I sang to the church for the first time. I knew then that this was something I could take a lot further. When I was 18, I got into Stars of the Future—a musical competition held in my country in 2008. I came third in that competition.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-31222 alignleft" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/Efya-6-of-95-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Efya-6-of-95-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Efya-6-of-95-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Efya-6-of-95-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Efya-6-of-95-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Efya-6-of-95.jpg 683w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" />
<h4>Did you have any other interests prior to this?</h4>
Before that, I always wanted to be a film editor. My parents were filmmakers. I was that child that would go out on location with them holding the boom and it was all very interesting to me. I also wanted to be a journalist for a long time.
&nbsp;
<h4>What did you do after Stars of the Future?</h4>
I was paired with the winner of the competition. We were called Irene and Jane—Jane is my English name—and we started performing everywhere. We did that for three years. We traveled a lot. We got nominated for the KORAs [an annual sub-Saharan Africa music awards platform] and won awards in Ghana. This was such an important step for me musically because I had a partner to work with and I really learned a lot.
&nbsp;
<h4>Education</h4>
In between all of this, I attended the University of Ghana and studied theater as a major and music as my minor. I’ve always been interested in the theater, especially African musical productions. Using my theater background and musical flair, I still intend to put together an African musical production where we create the music ourselves and use every inherently African element to present a world-class production.
&nbsp;
<h4>How did things progress from there?</h4>
After university, I was being managed by an artist management arm that I was with for two years and that’s where the Efya rebranding was created. We realized the kind of music I really wanted to do; I wanted to mix all genres and elements with soul which is the real basis of my music. I put out some songs and we started making hits. My first hit was called Little Things—it was written by Asem, a fellow musician.
&nbsp;
<h4>Your rise to fame has been meteoric. How did you manage your visibility in the industry?</h4>
I started traveling to Lagos frequently—it’s a huge market here. With the help of a few right people in the industry, I started getting my feet through the right doors and onto the right stages. We performed from Lagos, Port Harcourt to Abuja. I met Chin from Eclipse, who was instrumental to setting me up in Lagos. I had also been established with One Nation [a management arm] at this point. That’s how it all started coming together. I hadn’t put an album together and started receiving awards. This has been very humbling and I’m grateful for the drive it has given me to work and push my music further. We recently put out my first mix tape called This is not the Album.
&nbsp;
<h4>How far do you see African music spreading globally?</h4>
I believe strongly in the African dream. I believe we can change the perceptions of the Western world and African music can truly dominate. We can have everyone buy into this African dream. We have something unique and with the right steps in place, we can take control of the musical scene and this is the mission I’m on. I want to take my music to the world and have them appreciate it for being authentically African.
&nbsp;
<h4>Describe your music. Why is it sellable to the rest of the world?</h4>
I call it afro neo-soul. I always have African elements present in my music. I love the fusion. It gives the listeners a bit of everything. I could be doing some jazz but against an authentic highlife background or some reggae fused with some soul. I love the Ghanaian elements present in my music too. The beauty of the languages all works well together; it is different and I want to share this globally.
&nbsp;
<h4>What are your career highlights?</h4>
I’m grateful that I have been able to get this far. I’m blessed to have these opportunities. I won best female vocalist for three consecutive years and I’ve been so humbled by this. Every step of my career has been a highlight for me.
&nbsp;
<h4>What inspires you?</h4>
My mother is amazing. She was a single mother for a while and I admire and respect her for all that she achieved in spite of this. She is also heavily involved in philanthropy. Generally, I believe in giving back and people that do so inspire me. Philanthropy is very important to me as giving a little can go a long way in another person’s life. I want to give more than just music. Musically, I’m inspired by Mariam Makeba. I love her great vocal prowess and versatility.
&nbsp;
<h4>What were your biggest challenges?</h4>
I managed myself for a bit before I got the right management. It was not the best period and I think that phase was a learning curve. I appreciate what I have now and am glad I went through that in my career. We still have a few challenges ahead but with the right team and attitude, we will continue to succeed.

ARI0673-Editbw

Big Voice Bold Dream

The Ebola virus is spreading across Africa, taking fear with it.
“They say Ebola has no cure. The unknown has arrived. Nobody knows how to deal with this Ebola, not even the government!” John-Thomas Mensah, an Accra-based taxi driver tells FORBES AFRICA in the Ghanaian capital.
The Ebola scourge has spawned new social rules, with people being told they are not allowed to hug or shake hands. New superstitions have arisen, with some believing that drinking or bathing with salty water and eating the West African plant, bitter kola, will treat the disease. Some businesses are cashing in on the rush for disinfectants, soaps and hand sanitizers.
In August, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the West Africa Ebola outbreak a public health emergency. It triggered global alarm as countries stepped up precautions and testing. It is the largest Ebola outbreak to date and began in Guinea in March. Liberia has been the worst hit, with 70% of the casualties. Ebola has infected nearly 2,500 and claimed 1,427 lives, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Nigeria recorded 5 deaths as at the end of August.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3117" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/shutterstock_152407592-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />
Beyond medicine, the epidemic has dampened business and left the informal economy, that fuels West Africa’s cross-border commerce, in a coma. Millions of West Africans are traveling traders and workers who crisscross the region’s porous borders for their daily bread.
Nigeria, which accounts for around 168 million of West Africa’s 260 million people, has not shut its borders, but almost every other country in the region has stopped border traffic, all in a bid to restrict the spread of Ebola.
Airlines discontinued flights to and from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and neighboring countries. Freight rates to West Africa are expected to rise as ship owners avoiding the region are choosing to berth at alternative ports. In mid-August, a Chinese-flagged ship heading out of Sierra Leone to Cape Verde had its crew quarantined in Sao Vicente.
The Ebola scare has also reared its ugly head in South Africa. The most worrying was a patient in August who displayed low risk symptoms and was admitted to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital as a precaution. Luckily, the patient tested negative for Ebola at the special diseases ward at the hospital.
&#8220;The patient is in isolation and there is no need for the general public to panic. He will not be put in contact with another patient. He is in isolation, in a special ward that deals with hemorrhagic fever,&#8221; says Joe Maila, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health.
Eleven hospitals across South Africa were issued with protective gear in preparation for any possible outbreak, says Maila.
East Africa is also taking precautions.
The health sector there is poorly funded and all member states agree that they need to coordinate efforts to keep Ebola at bay. Little of this is evident on the ground.
Uganda has suffered from Ebola in the past and claims it is well prepared. Together with Rwanda and Burundi, Uganda borders the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has confirmed strains of the virus.
The region is on high alert and any slight indication of the virus in these countries may lead to the type of isolation experienced in West Africa. Business, including East Africa’s fledging oil and gas sector, will be hit hard.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-3118" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/454132450-300x205.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="205" />
WHO classified Kenya as a high-risk area because of the number of flights from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to the infected countries. Kenya Airways, the third largest carrier on the continent, is feeling the pinch after suspending some of its flights to West Africa. RwandAir and Ethiopian Airways are yet to follow suit but promise stringent surveillance.
Help has come from far and near. The United States’ (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has about 60 disease detectives and other health experts in the region. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has reportedly committed $14.5 million. The Wellcome Trust and Britain’s Department for International Development (DFID) have also announced a joint $10.8-million emergency research fund.
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, through his Dangote Foundation, has given $3.2 million to the Ebola Emergency Operation Centre in Lagos, where the nation’s first case of Ebola was diagnosed in Liberian-American national Patrick Sawyer who died in a Lagos hospital four days after arriving from Liberia.
Despite these measures, and assurances by the WHO and local authorities, sections of the international community continue to fear that Ebola could spread across the vast African continent. With multinationals placing travel restrictions to West Africa, trips to Africa are either being postponed or canceled. The tourism sector in East and Southern Africa has been the hardest hit.
Ebola is not going away in a hurry.

Our Worst Nightmare

The world’s second largest exporter of cocoa is currently experiencing serious economic pain.
Proceeds from Ghana’s cocoa, timber and gold exports have not been enough to cater for its national lifestyle. Add liquid gold to the mix and suddenly this regional champion is showing symptoms of the proverbial Dutch disease so early in its crude oil career.
Ghana’s financial system is now frequently constipated, coping with low savings and high borrowing rates. Its also is characterized by unsustainable appetite for foreign goods, resulting in missed spending targets, inflation and dollar-denominated thinking. Sustaining real economic growth has therefore been difficult. In a nutshell, West Africa’s second largest economy is engulfed in a failing currency crisis.
The Ghanaian cedi is suffering its worst humiliation against major trading currencies in decades. Consumer price inflation peaked at 14.5% in April. Public sector spending has remained way above the regional sub-Saharan average for many years, even as the country continues to record fairly strong growth.
By contrast, the cedi has depreciated in recent years. As a result, equities on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) have also been losing weight, shedding about 16% of their value in US dollar terms this year alone.
The business community and ordinary Ghanaians feel helpless. Their view is that politics now threaten to transform their currency into ordinary tissue paper.
“Notwithstanding the fact that Ghanaians are resourceful and resilient people, local businesses have been hit hard by this currency crisis… the authorities need to cultivate public empathy, they need to involve the business community in their fiscal planning process,” says Albert Ngumba, general manager of e-commerce firm Cellulant Ghana.
The crisis has induced a total slowdown of the once stable polity and left politicians and economists puzzled on how to stop this once bubbling economy from drifting away.
How is it that Ghana now finds it difficult to pay its bills after years of sustained economic growth and after commercial production of crude oil began in 2010? How can a nation be growing into poverty?
For those interested in the fortunes and foibles of African nations over the last five centuries, this is an old tale. The logic of the international marketplace is a simple linear equation: if weaker economies have weak currencies then stronger currencies will produce stronger, more robust economies. This is the turf of the world’s central banks.
Of course, beyond the currency conundrum, one of the reasons why economies fail is fiscal indiscipline. This has been the bane of Ghana’s current economic woes. Its current account deficit, according to the Bank of Ghana (BoG), the banking industry regulator, was a whopping 12.30% of its GDP, as at December, 2013. Debt-to-GDP ratio is forecast to reach 51.2% by the end of 2014. If this figure ever gets to the 60% mark, Ghana might lose its status as a lower middle-income country, according to the IMF.
Government’s quest to increase teachers and civil servants pay blew up in its face: public sector salaries now gulp 70% of internally generated revenue. These civil servants represent less than 1% of the population. With falling commodity prices, and energy supply hiccups, the fiscal deficit is expected to persist for at least another five years.
To stem the negative currency tide, the BoG outlawed companies from maintaining domiciliary accounts and engaging in foreign currency denominated transactions in February. It also limited withdrawals to approximately $10,000. The plan did not work. The cedi has depreciated by more than 6.4% since then. The BoG promptly unfastened the guidelines in July. The effect of this policy flip-flop on the psychology of the markets has been mixed: macro- and micro-level economic pains, heightened currency and sovereign risk ratings, faith in the ability of the economy to turn around in the long term, and erosion of confidence in government’s economic management capabilities.
The matter is threatening Ghana’s hard won reputation as a magnet for foreign investment. Ghana’s share of Africa-bound FDI ($3.3 billion per annum) needs to grow. The value of exports also needs to grow. Ghana’s business and political elite need to be stimulated to increase their appetite local products.
For most Ghanaians, whose outlook on life has been defined by decades of mass penury and perseverance, this is proving to be a bitter pill to swallow, especially after President John Mahama made promises of steady and sustained economic progress.

Growing Into Poverty

The 2014 FIFA World Cup presents Africa with another chance to showcase its talent on the global stage and highlight the great strides that football has made on the continent.
It would be fair to say that the performances of the African teams in 2010 were disappointing, except for Ghana, who were a Luis Suarez handball away from the semifinals.
For the rest of the teams – Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria, Cameroon and hosts South Africa – it was an early first round exit.
All are back in 2014, except South Africa, and now older and wiser, fans should expect an improvement.
We could also see a new generation of African superstars emerge.
When looking for African players who could set the tournament alight, the choices are vast.
You would have to start with three of the greatest the continent has ever seen – Cote d’Ivoire legends Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré, as well as Cameroon forward Samuel Eto’o.
Touré may make the 2018 event, but Drogba and Eto’o are surely taking part in their swansong World Cup.
<div id="attachment_2847" style="width: 229px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2847" class="size-medium wp-image-2847" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/140620368-219x300.jpg" alt="" width="219" height="300" />MANCHESTER, ENGLAND &#8211; MARCH 03: Yaya Toure of Manchester City during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium on March 3, 2012 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)</div>
The trio have won nine of the last 11 African Footballer of the Year prizes and in one of those years, 2007, it was handed to Frederic Kanoute when Drogba could not make the trophy presentation.
While Drogba’s best years are behind him, Touré is very much the man of the moment and his brilliant season with Manchester City makes him one to watch in Brazil.
Drogba could be used more as an impact player, but his experience and ability to conjure goals in moments of crisis is legendary. Perhaps Cote d’Ivoire might have made the second round four years ago had their talisman not been forced to play with a broken arm.
Eto’o is also not quite the master in front of goal of years gone by, but his guile and presence is enough to make him a danger for opposing defences.
These three have been the African giants of the past decade and will each be desperate to translate that into success come June and July.
But there are also other, less celebrated, players from the continent who could make names for themselves across the globe.
Ghana are a side packed with talent and players like Sulley Muntari, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Michael Essien and Kwadwo Asamoah are already household names.
But they have a young left-winger who has shown immense promise in recent times too, scoring almost every other game in his international appearances to date. Wakaso Mubarak plays for Rubin Kazan in the Russian Premier League and is a livewire with his pace and eye for goal. He will definitely get people talking.
Another to look out for is his compatriot Abdul Majeed Waris, a 22-year-old striker who cannot stop scoring for Valenciennes in the French Ligue 1 this season. He could be usurped by Asamoah Gyan if Ghana only play one striker, but could have an impact off the bench.
Cameroon wingback Allan Nyom showed in a recent friendly against Portugal that not only could he keep Cristiano Ronaldo quiet, but he is also a potent attacking threat.
He has spent the last five seasons on loan at Spanish La Liga side Granada, where he has honed his skills.
Another player on loan at Granada is Algerian playmaker Yacine Brahimi, who recently scored the winner against Barcelona. The former French junior international is in his second season in La Liga and grows every week, suggesting he will be a key element for the Algerians.
Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar went to the 2010 World Cup as an 18-year-old, but it was a little soon for the teenage prodigy. Now older and wiser, he has turned into a real goal-machine as Ligue 1 side Lorient have discovered.
Nigerian youngster Kenneth Omeruo may have been playing at English Championship side Middleborough on loan this season, but that is only because he is not deemed ready for the first team at Chelsea… yet.
However, the right-back, who can also play in the center of the defence, has been tipped as a future superstar and a good showing at the World Cup could accelerate his progress.
Super Eagles winger Victor Moses, on loan this past season at Liverpool from Chelsea, has talents that have been much admired, and soon the same may be said for Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi. He has come through the ranks at the Italian side to stake a regular spot this season and also cement his place in the Nigerian starting line-up.
He played almost every minute of Nigeria’s run to last year’s Africa Cup of Nations title and was an unsung hero for them. His hard work got the team on the front foot and allowed stars such as Moses to weave their magic.
Let’s see what happens in the World Cup that is likely to belong to one of the South American countries. Anything that Africa does is a bonus because, once again, no one is giving us

African Stars To Shine Over Brazil

Renewable energy has been a hot topic in Africa recently. The increased need to curb coal reliance for energy production has resulted in governments – such as South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana – developing more sustainable energy solutions for the continent.
A worrying reality is that power outages have an impact on the performances of the continent’s economies and might drive away potential foreign investors.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-6030" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/photo-200x300.jpeg" alt="" width="200" height="300" />
Off the grid power production has not only been influenced by the need to decrease the reliance on coal, but most importantly carbon dioxide omissions.
Renewable energy is the new gem of Africa. With a favorable climate on the continent, renewable energy has rapidly transformed from being a mere imperative to a lucrative, investment-attracting industry that is growing.
While most energy production on the continent has been state-owned, a brewing phenomenon has been the growth of Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
Female participation within the continent’s renewable energy space is a rarity that is being addressed by governments and policymakers. In South Africa, the department of energy has included the need to incorporate women-owned enterprises in the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
With the recent completion of the third bidding rounds of REIPPPP, 17 renewable projects have been awarded to preferred bidders. The estimated deal value for the third round of bidding is said to be around R33.8 billion ($3.1 billion)
One of the successful bidders has been DLO Energy Resources – an energy investment and advisory firm owned by South African entrepreneur Linda Olagunju. Through the Longyuan Mulilo Maanhaarberg consortium and the Longyuan Mulilo De Aar 2 North Wind Facility consortium, the combined capacity of both projects is estimated to be 244MW.
No stranger to sizable deals, this 30-year-old attorney with specialization in energy and project finance was part of the team at Dewey &amp; Leboeuf LPP – now Baker McKenzie – that advised on key transactions in the African energy sector, including Eskom’s $250 million bank loan for its renewable energy projects. Olagunju is also the founder of the Renewable Energy Forum South Africa – a platform that congregates renewable energy players and decision makers within the private and public sectors to engage on key issues affecting the continent’s renewable energy industry.
“Growing up in rural Eastern Cape, prior to the electrification process, therefore having lived and experienced the absence of electricity, I grew up reading about the continent’s vast oil and gas resources and could not understand why countries with an abundance of resources still remained impoverished. Primarily I wanted a further understanding of this, but most importantly to contribute towards making sustainable changes,” says Olagunju.
After being awarded a scholarship to the University of Aberdeen, Olagunju completed her masters in law with a focus on oil and gas law. During this period, she was brought onto a renewable energy organization that was tasked to develop Aberdeen’s first offshore wind farm. It was here that she was introduced to the renewable energy space.
“My introduction to renewable energy occurred at the time when South Africa was facing an electricity deficit and an increase in blackouts. On my return, the national regulator of South Africa was still at the stages of establishing a legal regulatory framework in which renewables could form a part of the energy mix through a feed tariff.”
Olagunju’s perfect timing allowed her to play a contributing role towards the development of South Africa’s renewable energy scene. With Africa set to spend over $72 billion a year on infrastructure development over the next decade, of which energy forms a large part, Olagunju believes that there is still a void within the industry that needs to be filled when it comes to female participation.
“Government is playing an adequate role in ensuring female inclusion, especially in sizable transactions. I do, however, think that the private sector needs to play a bigger role in ensuring that the objectives of female involvement are actually met through ensuring the real involvement of female-owned enterprises and skills transfer,” she says.
With a large part of South Africa’s economy heavily reliant on the mining sector – the biggest electricity consumer – the renewable energy IPP Programme has allowed for the diversification of the country’s energy mix, by integrating renewables into the Integrated Resource Plan. Another benefit of renewable energy projects is the shorter construction turnaround time and connection period, which makes them a favorable solution to address the energy deficit.
International energy companies – mainly from Asia, Europe and the United States – have also been involved in renewable energy projects in Africa. The bidding process in South Africa requires that projects are at least 40% owned by South African companies – a necessary pre-requisite to ensure the sustainability of the projects post-construction and connection. Olagunju believes that there is still a great need for African-owned companies to start investing in such projects to ensure further economic development within the continent.
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“Nigeria has done very well in creating local ownership within the oil and gas sector and it would be great to see some of those companies taking up equity in the renewable energy projects that are in progress. I am a firm believer in inter-African trade and investment and certainly this process provides a platform.”
Olagunju believes that strategic partnerships are the perfect recipe for guaranteed development within any industry, especially in energy.
“It is important to have partners with the right mix of skills in order to grow. It is just as important to align oneself with partners that can facilitate an expansion strategy. In the context of REIPPPP, we have seen companies that have aligned themselves with strong international partners with a solid balance sheet, they have been able to achieve better tariffs,” says Olagunju.
With the on-going transformation of Africa’s energy sector – the privatization of Nigeria’s power sector and South Africa creating a platform for large-scale procurement from independent power producers – renewable energy has been a priority within these agendas.
Other recent developments include: Namibia working on the development of three solar PV plants, Zambia’s Request for Proposal (RFP) for the provision of solar power in the country’s mining region, and Ghana announcing the construction of the largest solar park in Sub-Saharan Africa with the development of UK-based blue energy.
“This [solar] park boasts approximately 155MW capacity and is geared to supply much-needed power to the ECOWAS region. Countries such as Kenya, Angola and Mozambique in their embracing of renewable energy is a clear indication that the continent is slowly moving away from being subsistent to being self-reliant and responsible for its own development, which is a great thing.”
2012 saw Olagunju launch the inaugural Renewable Energy Forum South Africa (REFSA) – a Pan-African conference in which players within the renewable energy space can engage in dialogue and find solutions to challenges faced by the industry.
“The reason why I created REFSA was because I felt that developers and other key stakeholders needed a platform to discuss the sector and issues affecting the sector while sharing ideas,” she says.
It is through platforms such as the REFSA conference that the seeds for intercontinental transactions can be planted.
“For the upcoming 2014 conference, which will be held in March, there will be representatives from Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Angola, Zambia, Kenya and South Africa. What is expected from this conference is the exchange of ideas and insight sharing on the South African bidding process from law firms, such as Norton Rose Fulbright and Webber Wentzel, as well as funding advice from advisory firms such as Fieldstone. Coupled with snapshots into key projects that are out in the market and how one can access such opportunities.”
When it comes to the future of renewable energy on the continent, the road ahead will be a long, arduous and expensive one, but with dedicated individuals like Olagunju driving REFSA the rewards will be priceless.

Tag: Ghana

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