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    Ghana

    Market Essentials

    Ghana has much to offer both the exporter and the investor.Further consolidation of its macro-economic success and theintensification of structural reform are positive signs of economicstability and of the favourable business environment as a whole.

    Gordon WetherellBritish High Commissioner to Ghana

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    Useful Contacts Ghana

    WEST AFRICA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

    2 Vincent StreetLondonSW1P 4LDContact: Hamish McGregor,

    Director General

    Tel: 020 7828 5544

    Fax: 020 7828 5251Email: [email protected]: www.waba.co.uk

    GHANA HIGH COMMISSION

    104 Highgate HillLondonN6 5HETel: 020 8342 7500 or 7517 (trade desk)Fax: 020 8348 0541 (trade desk)Email: [email protected]: www.ghana-com.co.uk

    BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION

    Osu Linkoff Gamel Abdul Nasser AvenuePO Box 296AccraGhanaContact: Sarah Stevenson,

    First Secretary - UK Trade &Investment Section

    Tel: +233 21 701 0650Fax: +233 21 701 0655Email: [email protected]: www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk/ghana

    GHANA-BRITISH CHAMBER OF

    COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

    Plot No. A132/1 Obedro St. KorieGonnoPO Box GP 21101AccraGhanaContact: George Asare-Boahen,

    Executive Secretary

    Tel: +233 24 254 288

    UK TRADE & INVESTMENT

    Kingsgate House66-74 Victoria StreetLondonSW1E 6SWSwitchboard: 020 7215 8000Minicom number: 020 7215 2471

    (for hard of hearing)Web: www.uktradeinvest.gov.ukUK Trade & Investment is the Government

    organisation that supports companies doing

    business internationally and overseas

    enterprises seeking to locate in the UK

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    2006 PricewaterhouseCoopers. All rights reserved. PricewaterhouseCoopers refers to the network of member firms ofPricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity.

    *connectedthinking is a trademark of PricewaterhouseCoopers

    The solutions to thechallenges facing your business

    are out there. You just need to know

    where to look*

    Sometimes its difficult to know where to start.We have professionals in assurance, tax and advisory services

    who can focus on your business issuesproviding you with the right advice

    to help youdeliver the right solutions

    Ghana Office: Gulf House 4th

    Floor Tetteh Quarshie InterchangeLegon Road, PMB CT42, Cantonments, Accra

    Telephone: +233 21 506217/8 Fascimile: +233 21 506216 www.pwc.com/ghOther Africa Central Offices: Angola Kenya Mauritius Nigeria Tanzania Uganda Zambia

    PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwc.com) provides industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to buildpublic trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. More than 130,000 people in 148 countries workcollaboratively using Connected Thinking to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice.

    *connectedthinking

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    Introduction Ghana

    Welcome Message by the Chairman of the West Africa Business Association

    The President of Ghana has demonstrated at the highest level Ghanas commitment to developing its economy andopening up more opportunities for investors, referring to the countrys economic development strategy as a Golden Agefor the Private Sector.

    Indeed, on a personal note I am particularly pleased to bewriting this introduction because my parents lived in thecountry for thirty-two years, and many years later I was to

    become very closely associated with Ghanas commercial life.So I have great affection for this enchanting country and hervery friendly peoples.

    In West Africa, Ghana is a most advantageous country inwhich to do business and, importantly, there is always a verywarm and cheerful welcome. On the economic front, recentGDP growth has risen consistently and inflation is forecast tocontinue to decline. In addition, Ghanas Sovereign CreditRating is well above average and the infrastructure continuesto improve. Many kilometres of new roads have beenc o n s t r u c ted while others have been improved. Thecompletion of the trans-West Africa gas pipeline from Nigeriawill shortly become a reality, too, providing Ghana with asignificant new source of energy.

    Great progress has been made in the production of cocoa andgold in Ghana and the tourist industry is beginning to take off.These are just some of the many encouraging signs for thosewishing to do business in Ghana. Indeed, because of itsimportance to economic development, the President himselfhas stated this to be the Golden Age for the Private Secto r ,

    offering great encouragement to inve s tors. For these reasonsand many more, WA BA remains very supportive of itsmembers in Ghana and very keen to give those who want to do

    business there every assistance.

    As a measure of its pan-African activities to encourageinvestment both into and within the region, WABA nowadministers the recently formed Southern Africa BusinessForum (SABF) and, recognising the advantages which eachcan bring, many members belong to both associations. WABAand SABF in London, as well as having a thriving subsidiaryassociation in Ghana, have similar associations in Nigeria andCameroon and a network of representatives throughout Westand Southern Africa.

    All of WABA/SABFs nearly 300 member companies, largeand small, both in the UK and throughout West and SouthernAfrica, can receive our up-to - d a te business news andcommodity reports and, if in the UK, attend our regular highlevel briefings and networking sessions in London. Theschedule of events, a full list of members, and much more isposted on our website.

    Do visit the website - www.waba.co.uk - and if you are notalready a member, can you really afford not to be?

    Welcome Akwaaba. We are delighted that the first Market Essentials folder in sub-Saharan Africais focused on Ghana, a country with which the West Africa Business Association (WABA) has very closeties and which, as the Gold Coast, was part of our original foundation in 1956.

    Dr John Brown, OFR

    Beach Front, Tills

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    Ghanaian civil law is based on English common law, doctrines of equity and general statutes in force in England in 1874,as modified by subsequent ordinances. However, Ghanaian customary law is the basis of most personal, domestic andcontractual relationships. Criminal law is based on the Criminal Procedure Code 1960, derived from English criminal lawand since amended.

    Until independence from Britain in 1957, Ghana was called the"Gold Coast", a name given to it by the early Portugueseexplorers who first set foot on its shores in 1471.

    The name aptly described the country's wealth in gold and naturalresources, wealth which is still largely intact today. It has substantial mineral

    resources such as gold, diamonds, manganese, bauxite, iron ore and variousclay and salt deposits. There are extensive, rich forests with a wide range offine tropical hardwoods, a wide variety of agricultural products and richfishing resources. It also possesses unique tourist attractions including awarm climate, a coastline dotted with beautiful beaches, wildlife parks and arich cultural heritage, European as well as African.

    From the discovery of gold in the area by the first Portuguese explorers toGhanas independence in 1957, adventurers and merchants from all overEurope flocked here to seek their fortunes. Danes, Britons, Dutch, Prussians

    and Swedes battled for control over the land and resources. They builtEuropean-style forts and castles which doubled up as trading posts.Vestiges of the colonial presence in the country are still very much inevidence and 29 of the 32 European forts dotted along the West Africancoast are in Ghana.

    More recently, Ghana has become a model for African democracy and it isconsidered one of the ten most stable countries on the continent. Recentpolitical history has been dominated by former President Jerry Rawlings.Rawlings first came to prominence as a young air force officer in a coup in1979. He assumed long term power after a second coup in 1981.

    In 2000, Rawlings stepped down as President after two terms. In thenational elections which followed, the opposition partys candidate, JohnKufuor, an Oxford educated lawyer, was elected President with 57% of thevote. Kufuor won a second term in December 2004.

    Country Profile Ghana

    Overview

    The Government is elected on the basis of presidential andparliamentary elections held every four years, as laid down in theconstitution of the Fourth Republic, approved by a nationalreferendum in 1992.

    The constitution provides for a multi-party political system. Executivepower is vested in the President, elected by universal adult suffrage for a

    four-year term of office. The President is barred by the constitution fromserving more than two terms in office. Legislative power is vested in a 230-member unicameral parliament, also elected by universal adult suffrage fora four-year term.

    Ministers are appointed by the President, subject to approval by parliament.The constitution also provides for a 24-member Council of State, principallycomprising presidential nominees and regional representatives.

    Ghana is an African political success story with an established pluralisticpolitical system. The strength of this was demonstrated in December 2000when, for the first time in its histo r y, an opposition party defeated theincumbent party in the national elections. A smooth transition of pow e rf o l l owed. This was further underlined by the general elections of December2004, which were widely praised internationally for being well-run and orderly.

    Government and Politics

    Conference Centre

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    Ghana is situated on the southern West African coastline. It hasa total land area of 92,100 square miles and extends 423 milesnorth to south.

    It is bordered to the east by Togo, to the north by Burkina Faso, to the westby Cote dIvoire and to the south by the Gulf of Guinea. From the coast, a

    narrow grassy plain stretches inland, widening as it progresses eastward.The south and west are covered by dense rain forest. To the north areforested hills, beyond which lie dry savannah and open woodland. The Blackand White Volta rivers cross into Ghana from Burkina Faso and lead to thelargest man-made lake in the world, Lake Volta.

    Situated just north of the equator, Ghana's climate is generally tropical andhumid, with daily temperatures varying between 23C and 30C. There aretwo rainy seasons, March to July and September to October. June is thewettest month in the capital Accra, with average rainfall of 235mm, whileDecember is the driest with 18mm.

    Ghana comprises ten regions. It has an average population density of 78.9 persons per square kilometre, with an annualpopulation growth rate of 2.6%. Most of the population is concentrated in the southern part of the country, with thehighest densities occurring in urban and cocoa-producing areas.

    Lake Bosumtwe, Abono

    Geography

    Country Profile Ghana

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    There are 193 projects with British equity registered with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre.

    Market Opportunities Ghana

    Economic Profile

    Ghana is currently the UKs fifth largest market in sub-SaharanAfrica, behind South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Angola.

    In turn, the UK is Ghanas main non-oil trading partner. The relationship isbased on long-standing historical ties and trade links developed during thecolonial period and consolidated during the half century since independence.

    On the investment side, over the last 11 years, out of approximately 2000companies registered in Ghana, 193 projects have British equity. Indiacurrently tops the list with 211 projects, followed by China with 198projects. The UK largely invests in the service sector and in 2004 was thec o u n t r ys largest monetary inve s to r. Within Ghana as a whole, themanufacturing and service sectors attract the most foreign investment.

    There is already a considerable amount of British equipment in the countryand British standards and procedures are widely applicable. The UKsclosest competitors, in terms of trade, are the United States, Germany, theNetherlands, Belgium and Italy, although low cost competition from Nigeriaand China is increasing rapidly.

    Ghana has huge potential. It is relatively rich in mineral deposits, includinggold, bauxite, manganese and diamonds, and despite the ravages of

    deforestation, both legal and illegal, it has considerable reserves of timber.There are significant oil and gas fields on the Ghanaian continental shelf andadjacent onshore areas.

    The Government is focusing on three core areas in order to drive forwardeconomic development, although not to the exclusion of all others. Thethree key areas are: human resource development, private secto rdevelopment and good governance.

    Since coming to power, the Government has made a determined and public

    effort to re-establish Ghana as a regional business centre, to revive the ruraleconomy and restore monetary and fiscal stability. The financial sector iscontinuing to develop to support this aim. Several global consultancies,including Ernst & Young, Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Deloitte, alreadyhave a presence here, providing an invaluable source of local expertise forpotential investors. The oldest bank in Ghana, Standard Chartered BankGhana, is a subsidiary of the London-based Standard Chartered plc. It has a35% market share and operates a network of 21 branches. Barclays Bankhas also had a significant presence in Ghana for over 80 years, withbranches in all the major commercial centres.

    The importance of attracting foreign direct investment into the country andstimulating the development of the private sector has been a priority forsuccessive governments. Likewise, the Kufuor Government has strongly re-iterated its commitment to the privatisation of state-owned enterprises, butin reality progress has been slow so far.

    Brong Ahafo Region

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    The GDP growth of Ghana has increased consistently over the past five years, from 3.7% in 2000 to 6% in 2004.

    Market Opportunities Ghana

    Water Industry

    Historically, only a few urban areas of Ghana had access topotable water.

    In 1965, the Ghana Water Company Limited (formerly the Ghana WaterSupply Company) was set up to push forward the development of thewater industry.

    In the early 1990s, the Government launched a comprehensive reformprogramme for the water secto r. One of the key priorities of the reformswas the introduction of Private Sector Participation (PSP) in the industry.It was seen as a way of gaining financial, technical and managerialexpertise from the private sector to improve efficiency and increase accessto water supply.

    In total, it is estimated that the water sector will require about US$1.8 billionof investment over the next 10 to 25 years to improve both urban and ruralwater supply.

    Attracting private sector capital for investment for the water industry hasbeen challenging, how e ve r. Thus, in December 2005, the Ghana Wa te rC o m p a ny Limited, GWCL, entered into a management contract with a Dutc hand South African consortium. The targets for the consortium include:

    Improvement in water quality Increase in water pressure

    Improvement in revenue collection Reduction in non-revenue (water loss through leakage, theft etc)

    If the pre-agreed targets are not met, the consortium will face penalties.S i m i l a r l y, if the targets are exceeded, the consortium will benef itaccordingly.

    The management contract is for five years, after which, if successful, a leasewill be put in place to attract the private sector to take over the maintenanceand repair works of GWCL.

    Agriculture is the mainstay of Ghanas economy, contributingover 45% of gross domestic product and employing 65% of thelabour force.

    It is mainly at the subsistence level, rainfall dependent, and cultivation is donemostly by slashing and burning. Most livestock are allowed to range freely,usually in small herds.

    Agricultural production is targeted at either national food security, raw mate r i a lfor industry or exports. It is a priority for the government which has set out itss t r a tegy in its Vision 2010 initiative; by the year 2010, Ghana wants to becomeone of the leading African agro-based industrial countries and has as its slogan: We grow what we eat, eat what we can, and can what we cannot.

    There are eight major crops cultivated in Ghana: maize, rice, millet, sorghum,cassava, yam, plantain and cocoyam. The consumption of maize, rice, milletand sorghum, exceeds national production and imports make up for theshortfalls. Ghana imports US$100m of rice annually but the Government isdetermined to boost local production.

    The country is a net importer of animal and animal products. Apart from livecattle imported from neighbouring Burkina Faso, most livestock products areimported dressed or processed.

    About 87% of its agricultural produce is sold raw. The high levels ofunprocessed produce offer clear opportunities for the agro-processing sector,especially in the area of food, feed and the industrial processing of roots,tubers, grains fruit, vegetables, oil seed, fish and meat.

    Agriculture

    Mount Gemi, Amedzofe

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    Ghana International Airlines (GIA) replaced Ghana Airways as the countrys national flag carrier in 2005. It operatesdaily flights between Accra and London Gatwick.

    Market Opportunities Ghana

    Oil and Gas

    Ghana has two known major oil fields, Tano and Saltpond, butthe upstream infrastructure for oil and gas is not well developed.

    The Government established the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation(GNPC) to undertake the exploration, development and disposal ofpetroleum (including natural gas).

    Saltpond field was discovered in 1970 by Amoco/Signal/Chevron andcontains both gas and oil. Production started in 1978 but was shut down in1985 as a result of decline in production. It is estimated that the Saltpondfields have reserves of about 25 to 48 million barrels of oil.

    The Tano offshore field off the countrys west coast was discovered in the1970s by Phil ips Petroleum. It is currently undergoing a deve l o p m e n tscheme to produce oil for both local and export markets. It has prove ncrude oil reserves of 14.3 million barrels and natural gas reserve se s t i m a ted at 193 bill ion cubic feet. A number of firms including Ta n oE n e r g y, US-based Vanco Energy and Dana Petroleum have carried outexploration work.

    Ghanas main downstream infrastructure is the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR)which has a refining capacity of two million tonnes per annum. This is lowerthan the national demand and, therefore, finished products are importedinto the country at higher cost. Further expansion and modernisation of theTema Oil Refinery is underway.

    West Africa Gas Pipeline

    The country is involved in plans to build an offshore gas pipeline to CotedIvoire. The governments of Ghana and Cote dIvoire signed an agreementin 1999 for a feasibility study for a pipeline between the two countries,backed by several small, US-based energy companies with stakes in offshoreIvorian gas.

    It is envisaged that this pipeline will be an extension of the much largerregional West Africa Gas Pipeline (WAGP) connecting Ghana to Nigeria,which is currently under development. The WAGP is a US$500 millionregional project expected to be complete by December 2006, involving thegovernments of Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo, plus the oil giants Chevronand Shell.

    Growth in Ghanas construction sector is due largely to theinvestment incentives introduced in the countrys InvestmentCode in 1994.

    These incentives include tax holidays, zero rating of all equipment andmachinery brought into the country and unrestricted transfer of loan andinterest repayments, as well as dividends, fees and royalties.

    A second driver has been the National Shelter Strategy, which changed therole of the State from a direct provider of housing to a facilitator of housingdelivery. Its aim is to remove constraints and bottlenecks which hamper effortsto provide housing, replacing them with mechanisms to encourage greaterprivate sector housing provision.

    The Gove r n m e n t s stated priorities for the construction sector includeensuring access to adequate sewage disposal systems for every community inGhana; increasing housing output to meet market demand for individualrental and ownership and for administrative and commercial purposes by2020; constructing a sea defence system to protect the countrys entirecoastline; improved management of all water resources (rivers, streams, lakes,lagoons, wells and drainage) to conserve water and support agriculture,potable water needs and investment in tourism.

    Access to land remains one of the major obstacles to greater private sectorproperty provision, both commercial and residential. To facilitate better

    access to land, the Government is building a land bank from which land willbe leased out for property development.

    Building and Construction

    Adomi Bridge

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    Although agriculture is the main economic activity in Ghana andthe country has good soil, agricultural production is relativelyinefficient and in need of investment and modernisation.

    The country is self-sufficient in fruit, vegetables, root crops and fish.Imports of pre-packed and processed foods through commercial

    e n terprises and small-scale importers are supplied to smal ler outlets,especially in the countryside, and to the supermarkets mainly located inthe big towns and cities. Many UK branded products are already on them a r ket. Items imported range from confectioneries to some alcoholic andnon-alcoholic beve r a g e s .

    U n l i ke food, how e ve r, close to 90% of the beverages consumed in Ghanaare produced locally. This is primarily due to pricing, distribution andbrand recognition built up over the years by local manufacturingcompanies. Only small imports of foreign beer, wines, alcoholic beve r a g e sand carbonated canned soft drinks are brought in due to high pricing as aresult of high import duties.

    Most of the imported food and beverages are bought in the major cities.The main competition for UK products comes from the United State s ,Thailand, China, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany, SouthAfrica, Brazil and Asia.

    Food and Drink

    Kejetia Market

    Market Opportunities Ghana

    Bolga Craft Market, Upper East Region

    The mainstays of Ghanaian cuisine are the thick soups usually eaten with potatoes or rice. Fufu, a common staplethroughout most of West Africa, is another favo u r i te. It consists of yam, cassava or plantain that has been cooked andpureed, and then mashed into a ball. It is often topped with a hot, spicy sauce, or served as an accompaniment to amain dish.

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    A new labour law, the Labour Act 2003, introduced a greater degree of flexibility into the Ghanaian labour market. The actc o n s o l i d a ted most laws relating to industrial practice in the country. Key areas included regulations regarding the operationof private employment centres, in addition to the network of public employment centres established previously.

    Market Opportunities Ghana

    Free, compulsory basic education was implemented in Ghana in1996 to encourage more enrolment in primary schools and giveevery child the chance of having an education.

    Educational reforms were also introduced to expand and improve thequality of education at all levels.

    The expansion programme heightened the funding problem of the public

    education system. This prompted the Government to invite private sectorparticipation in education. Although there were already private schools at alll e vels, education provision needed to be increased to meet theGovernments targets of more children being enrolled into basic educationand an increase in admissions into tertiary education.

    The number of schools, both public and private, has increased by around50% and admissions have risen by 500% since 1987, but education is stilllargely the preserve of the wealthy.

    Private schools, especially at the primary and junior secondary school level,are mostly attended by families who can afford to pay the high tuition fees.Those who cant afford the fees attend the public schools.

    There are private universities, private secretarial and private vocational schoolsthat absorb those who are inte r e s ted in more practical studies and jobs. Thereare also technical schools, mainly privately owned, running courses in almostall sectors, such as electrical engineering, plumbing and carpentry.

    The on-going expansion of the education sector has increased the demandfor educational materials, such as textbooks, exercise books, training aidsand computers. Demand for raw materials for printing and printingmachinery has also risen.

    Tourism

    Education

    The tourism sector in Ghana is still in its infancy, but it is alreadythe third largest foreign exchange earner for the economy aftergold and cocoa.

    With its pleasant climate and golden beaches, Ghana has excellent touristpotential and security is not a major problem.

    The coastal s l ave forts are a major attraction and eco-tourists areincreasingly attracted to inland reserves, such as those at Kakum and Mole.

    The tourism sector was designated a priority sector for economicdevelopment in 1985. The Government offered generous concessions,i n c e n t i ves and guarantees to foreign inve s tors, financiers, Ghanaianinstitutions and entrepreneurs to invest in tourism.

    Private sector tourism development is seen as the engine of growth. To thisend, multi-destination tourism is being promoted, with Ghana as thegateway to the region. Tour operators are being encouraged to organise

    packages where tourists can enter Ghana and proceed into two or threeneighbouring countries or other sub-regions of Africa. Target markets fortourists are primarily the USA and Europe.

    The Ghana Tourist Board has projected that the annual number of touristswill increase from the 400,000 who visited in 2000 to one million by 2010.

    Facilities will have to improve in order to meet these numbers.

    Private investment is very much needed to boost tourism development,especially in improving tourist facilities and services. The main investmentarea has been in the accommodation category, with hotel operators such asthe Golden Tulip Accra and the hotel resorts operated by Golden BeachHotels leading the way.

    Foreign nationals may own land in Ghana and have a 50-year renewablelease agreement on purchased lands. A number of foreign buildingcontractors already have offices in Accra, including Taysec Construction, awholly-owned subsidiary of the UK-based Taylor Woodrow plc.

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    Key Facts Ghana

    Fishing Harbour, Takoradi

    Official name: Republic of Ghana.

    Capital city: Accra (population 1.7 million).

    Other main towns: Kumasi, Tamale, Tema, Obuasi, Ho, Wa,Bolgatanga, Koforidua, Takoradi, Sekondi, Sunyani, Cape Coast.

    Total land area: 238,533 sq. km (92,100 sq. miles).

    Population: 21.8 million (UN, 2005).

    Age structure:0-14 years: 42%15-64 years: 55%65 years and over: 3%

    Life expectancy: 56 years (men), 57 years (women).

    Population growth rate: 2.6%.

    Head of State: President John Agyekum Kufuor (leader of NPP)(re-elected Dec. 2004).

    Head of Government: President John Agyekum Kufuor.

    Ruling party: New Patriotic Party (NPP) (since 2000).Language: English is the official language. There are 75 otherspoken languages, each associated with a distinct ethnic group.The largest are the Akan, who make up approximately half thepopulation. This is followed by the Mossi, Ewe and Ga-Adangme.Other significant groups and languages are Twi Fante, Ga andHausa.

    Principal religions: 69% Christian, 16% Muslim, 9% othertraditional and indigenous religions. The Muslim population ismainly concentrated in the more sparsely populated north.

    Local currency:1 Ghanaian Cedi (GHC) = 100 Pesewas

    Bank notes: 1,000; 2,000; 5,000, 10,000, 20,000,. Currency can

    be exchanged at foreign exchange bureaux or banks. Away fromthe main towns facilities are scarce.

    1 British Pound = 15,712.85 GHC (March 2006)

    Weights and measures: metric.

    Time zone: GMT.

    Internet domain: .gh.

    International dialling code from UK: 00 233.

    Economic Data (2005)

    GDP: US$9 billion (approx).

    GDP per capita: US$440 (approx).

    GDP real growth: 6%.

    British exports to Ghana: 155 million.

    British imports from Ghana: 118 million.

    Major Industries: cocoa, gold and timber.

    Major trading partners: UK, USA, France, Italy, Nigeria,Germany, Netherlands, China, India, Cote dIvoire.

    Top UK exports to Ghana (2005) thousand

    Textile fibres 20,549

    Road vehicles 13,694

    Electrical machinery, apparatus

    and appliances and electrical parts 13,694

    General industrial machinery, equipment and parts 10,673Telecommunications and sound recording apparatus 10,221

    Specialised industrial machinery 10,212

    Office machinery and ADP equipment 6,099

    Power generating machinery and equipment 4,978

    Essential oils and perfume materials;toilet, polishing and cleansing preparations 4,627

    Top UK imports from Ghana (2005) thousand

    Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices 44,843

    Fish, (not marine mammals), crustaceans,molluscs and aquatic invertebrates 28,067

    Vegetables and fruit 16,082

    Cork and wood 6,262

    Oil seeds and oleaginous fruit 2,477

    Furniture; bedding, mattressesand similar stuffed furnishings 2,437

    Fixed vegetable fats and oils;

    crude, refined or fractionated 625

    Miscellaneous edible products and preparations 538

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    SWAZILAND

    LESOTHO

    WABA, formerly The West Africa Committee, was established in May 1956 on the initiative of a number of

    firms with substantial commercial interests connected with Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.

    Initially, there were 36 members but now, with its subsidiary Associations in Ghana and Nigeria, membership

    has risen to over 350 companies. The area of interest for WABA has been progressively extended to include

    all the sub-Saharan countries in West Africa. In 2005 WABA took on the administration of the SABF which to

    date has over 50 members. This alliance has given companies operating in West and/or Southern Africa an

    unrivalled opportunity for inter-regional business activity.

    Objectives for WABA and SABFThe Objective of both Associations is to assist members to transact business successfully in and with the

    region, to the benefit of both the members and the countries in which they do business. This is

    achieved through dissemination of Information, high level Networking, exerting Influence, Practical Help and

    Advice, together with Guidance on the ground.

    CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO BE A MEMBER?

    What you will get for your subscription *WABA only **SABF only

    Frequent VIP briefings with Ambassadors, High Commissioners and key personnel in the diplomatic,governmental and business world and regular larger networking briefings e.g. by Shell and the FCO.

    Informal Networkers meetings (combined with SABF) on the first Tuesday evening of the month.

    *Monthly country and commodity reports with editorial comments and reports from WABAregional representatives.

    *Full use of local WABA representatives in: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cte dIvoire, EquatorialGuinea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

    **Full use of local SABF representatives in: Angola, Botswana, Congo, Namibia, Mozambique, South Africaand Zambia.

    *Use of networks in WABA Ghana, WABA Nigeria and WABA Cameroon .

    High level lobbying at Ministerial level in Europe and in Africa. Strong links with African initiatives, e.g. BAA(Business Action for Africa) and NEPAD (New Partnership for Africas Development).

    Strong links with EU as members of the European Business Council for Africa and the Mediterranean (EBCAM).See www.ebcam.eu

    Special deals e.g. hotels and clubs in certain countries in the regions and in London.

    **Daily updated Regional Business Reports by e-mail.

    Access to website: www.waba.co.uk or www.sabf.co.uk

    For more information and an application form contact WABA or SABF on

    [email protected] [email protected] Tel: 020 7828 5544To join WABA Ghana contact the CEO, Mr Sam Poku on +233 24 432 9622 or at: [email protected]

    The West Africa Business Association (WABA) &The Southern African Business Forum (SABF)

    WABA

    SABF

    INDIVIDUALS

    130

    115

    SMALL

    BUSINESSES

    480

    420

    MEDIUM SIZED

    COMPANIES

    1,220

    950

    MEDIUM

    MULTI-NATIONALS

    1,540

    1,250

    (special rates for joining both Associations and 10% reduction for members of SABF joining WABA and vice versa)

    Annual subscriptions for 2006/7 are:

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