GIMPA and Partners Hold Collaborative Seminar Between German Institutions and Ghanaian Policymakers

GHANA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (GIMPA)

By Joyce Boahemaa Fosu

As part of the 2023 ‘German Week’ Celebration in Ghana, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany (Ghana), in collaboration with the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce (AHK Ghana), the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), and various other esteemed German institutions and companies actively engaged in Ghana, organized a seminar to commemorate the celebration. The event which took place at Greenhill on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 was on the topic: “Tomorrow’s Economy in Ghana.” The primary objective of the event was to establish a pivotal platform facilitating discourse between Ghanaian policymakers and stakeholders, particularly business owners. The overarching aim was to delve into the profound implications of economic policies on businesses operating within the Ghanaian landscape. The policymakers present included Hon. Yves Hanson Nortey, Member of Parliament for Tema Central Constituency; Hon. Collins Adomako Mensah, Member of Parliament for Afigya Kwabre North Constituency; Hon. Betty Krosbi Mensah, Member of Parliament for Afram Plains North Constituency; Hon. Cletus Seidu Dapilah, Member of Parliament for Jirapa Constituency; and Mr. Samuel Aryeequaye, National Organiser, Liberal Party of Ghana (LPM).

Representatives from three prominent German companies in Ghana, namely Serigne Mbaye of DHL Global Forwarding, Ms. Hannah Arabs Gyamfi of MC Bauchemie, and Andreas Ulonska of Bauer Resources, also actively participated. The event commenced with a warm welcome from the Rector of GIMPA, Prof. Samuel Kwaku Bonsu, who commended all stakeholders for their invaluable contributions to the realisation of the programme. Prof. Bonsu expressed optimism that the seminar would provide clarification on pertinent questions in the minds of business owners and affirmed GIMPA’s commitment to forging partnerships with industry players through the creation of such platforms. Mr. Burkhardt Hellemann, the Head of Delegation for AHK, revealed that the programme was designed to articulate the collective vision for Ghana and the German companies operating there. He assured participants of constructive and substantive discussions. The discourse commenced with a panel discussion by representatives of the three German companies, where they provided a succinct overview of their respective enterprises and outlined some of the challenges encountered in their daily operations, encompassing bureaucratic hurdles and the scarcity of raw materials, among other impediments. Policymakers subsequently endeavoured to give answers to the questions posited by the German corporate representatives. A pivotal segment of the seminar involved an open floor, allowing participants to pose questions, thereby fostering an interactive and dynamic exchange of ideas. The proceedings concluded with closing remarks delivered by the Rector, summarising the significance of the deliberations.