Considering the strong growth in trade and investment flows between Ghana and South Africa over the past few years, the relaunch of the South Africa – Ghana Chamber of Commerce in April this year could not have been more timely. This is reflected by the enthusiasm with which enterprises that have ties to both countries have quickly signed up to be members of the Chamber.
Within six months some 40 corporate entities have joined the Chamber and the number keeps growing. “We want to double our current membership to reach 80 corporates” says Trevoe Sproat, first Vice President of the Chamber and also CEO of Consumer Finance Company. He is part of an Executive Committee which is also led by Albert Brock who was elected as President of the Chamber last April, and Vlure Galtz, the incumbent Second Vice President.
The Chamber’s membership now includes well known corporate names in Ghana such as Anglogold Ashanti, Accra Breweries, 3M, Aqua Vitens Rand, MTN, Broll Ghana, CAL Bank, Consumer Finance Company, Engen, Game, Goldfields Ghana, Global Media Alliance, Japan Motors and Labadi Beach Hotel. Other very visible corporate members include, Stanbic Bank, South African Airways, Shell Ghana, Shaprite, Metropolitan Life Insurance Ghana, Momentum Ghana, Multichoice, Readwide and Oxford Beaumont. Government institutions are represented through the South African High Commission in Ghana and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.
The primary objective of the Ghana – South African chamber of Commerce is to facilitate the flow of bilateral business between enterprises in both countries by bringing them together and enabling them to engage in fruitful dialogue with each other. Related to this is the objective of facilitating private sector investment in both countries.
As part of the efforts to achieve this iBurst, the South African headquartered Internet Service provider which recently opened shop in Ghana, is providing the portal for the Chamber’s website. This provides information covering visa requirements for travel between the two countries, places to stay, places of interest important business regulatory and facilitating institutions, of and identified investment opportunities. It also provides information on what to do and who to speak to in setting up business operations that transverse both countries.
More personalized interaction is about to be made possible by regular monthly forums for members, starting from October this year. This initiative will involve organizing both business and social forums. The former will enable the Chamber’s members to lobby for more support from stakeholders – including the respective governments of the two countries to improve the enabling environment for trade and investment enterprise between the two countries. The latter will allow members to engage in potentially hugely rewarding networking, which will fuel profitable business to business relationships. To finance the hosting of these forums, the Chamber is now seeking to secure corporate sponsorships.
Sproat is very optimistic that these will be a resounding success even though the forums are only starting in the last quarter of the year. “This year will be a big one in terms of forums” he enthuses.
Actually, concrete progress has been made with regards to providing platform for networking. The Chamber celebrated South Africa week earlier this year at the Accra Shopping Mall, using space provided by Broll, to celebrate that country’s independence.
Sprot envisages that the Chamber will be a variable lobbying forum. “The Chamber will be of great use to small and medium sized enterprises” he predicts. “They need the contacts, the introductions; the information about what to do and who to meet get it done. ”However he also acknowledges that it is the big businesses that can provide critical leadership. “The smaller firms look up to them to lead the way” he points out.
This means the Chamber is looking for members both big and small. To be eligible, the enterprise should be a Ghanaian firm that wants to do business with South Africa or vice versa. “If you are not a member but want to do business between Ghana and South Africa, all you have to do is pay the membership fess and you can avail yourselves of the Chamber services too,” Sproat confirms. He anticipates that with Ghana emerging as a business hub for West Africa companies in other countries within the sub-region seeking to have business contacts with South Africa will join the Chamber too.
“We want to introduce people into commerce between the two countries and between them and third parties as well” says Sproat. “South African companies can use Ghana as a hub for expansion across West Africa.”
The Chamber has won significant support from the governments of South Africa and Ghana already. It is supported by the South African High Commission in Accra and indeed the Economic Affairs Attache is a member. South Africa’s Deputy Minister for the Department of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies recently insisted and says, his Department is willing to subsidise the Chamber of its grows in size and credibility.
He admits the Ghanaian government has not been quite so involved though, a situation which he attributes in apart to the upcoming elections which is providing a diversion for the top public sector decision-makers.
Importantly, though he envisages a Chamber that will be run by its members rather than governments or even the “Chamber’s own Executives. “We want our members to set the agenda for the Chamber’s activities” he insists. ”My vision of the Chamber is for it to be a car with the executives simply serving as the driver.”
Within six months some 40 corporate entities have joined the Chamber and the number keeps growing. “We want to double our current membership to reach 80 corporates” says Trevoe Sproat, first Vice President of the Chamber and also CEO of Consumer Finance Company. He is part of an Executive Committee which is also led by Albert Brock who was elected as President of the Chamber last April, and Vlure Galtz, the incumbent Second Vice President.
The Chamber’s membership now includes well known corporate names in Ghana such as Anglogold Ashanti, Accra Breweries, 3M, Aqua Vitens Rand, MTN, Broll Ghana, CAL Bank, Consumer Finance Company, Engen, Game, Goldfields Ghana, Global Media Alliance, Japan Motors and Labadi Beach Hotel. Other very visible corporate members include, Stanbic Bank, South African Airways, Shell Ghana, Shaprite, Metropolitan Life Insurance Ghana, Momentum Ghana, Multichoice, Readwide and Oxford Beaumont. Government institutions are represented through the South African High Commission in Ghana and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.
The primary objective of the Ghana – South African chamber of Commerce is to facilitate the flow of bilateral business between enterprises in both countries by bringing them together and enabling them to engage in fruitful dialogue with each other. Related to this is the objective of facilitating private sector investment in both countries.
As part of the efforts to achieve this iBurst, the South African headquartered Internet Service provider which recently opened shop in Ghana, is providing the portal for the Chamber’s website. This provides information covering visa requirements for travel between the two countries, places to stay, places of interest important business regulatory and facilitating institutions, of and identified investment opportunities. It also provides information on what to do and who to speak to in setting up business operations that transverse both countries.
More personalized interaction is about to be made possible by regular monthly forums for members, starting from October this year. This initiative will involve organizing both business and social forums. The former will enable the Chamber’s members to lobby for more support from stakeholders – including the respective governments of the two countries to improve the enabling environment for trade and investment enterprise between the two countries. The latter will allow members to engage in potentially hugely rewarding networking, which will fuel profitable business to business relationships. To finance the hosting of these forums, the Chamber is now seeking to secure corporate sponsorships.
Sproat is very optimistic that these will be a resounding success even though the forums are only starting in the last quarter of the year. “This year will be a big one in terms of forums” he enthuses.
Actually, concrete progress has been made with regards to providing platform for networking. The Chamber celebrated South Africa week earlier this year at the Accra Shopping Mall, using space provided by Broll, to celebrate that country’s independence.
Sprot envisages that the Chamber will be a variable lobbying forum. “The Chamber will be of great use to small and medium sized enterprises” he predicts. “They need the contacts, the introductions; the information about what to do and who to meet get it done. ”However he also acknowledges that it is the big businesses that can provide critical leadership. “The smaller firms look up to them to lead the way” he points out.
This means the Chamber is looking for members both big and small. To be eligible, the enterprise should be a Ghanaian firm that wants to do business with South Africa or vice versa. “If you are not a member but want to do business between Ghana and South Africa, all you have to do is pay the membership fess and you can avail yourselves of the Chamber services too,” Sproat confirms. He anticipates that with Ghana emerging as a business hub for West Africa companies in other countries within the sub-region seeking to have business contacts with South Africa will join the Chamber too.
“We want to introduce people into commerce between the two countries and between them and third parties as well” says Sproat. “South African companies can use Ghana as a hub for expansion across West Africa.”
The Chamber has won significant support from the governments of South Africa and Ghana already. It is supported by the South African High Commission in Accra and indeed the Economic Affairs Attache is a member. South Africa’s Deputy Minister for the Department of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies recently insisted and says, his Department is willing to subsidise the Chamber of its grows in size and credibility.
He admits the Ghanaian government has not been quite so involved though, a situation which he attributes in apart to the upcoming elections which is providing a diversion for the top public sector decision-makers.
Importantly, though he envisages a Chamber that will be run by its members rather than governments or even the “Chamber’s own Executives. “We want our members to set the agenda for the Chamber’s activities” he insists. ”My vision of the Chamber is for it to be a car with the executives simply serving as the driver.”
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