IPMC
Friendliness, & peaceful environment
Having globe trotted the world since the age of 15, I am yet to see another country like Ghana, especially the Ghanaian people. They are the friendliest & most cultured you can ever find anywhere. As soon as you land in Ghana the first greeting from an Immigration officer you will receive is ‘you are welcome’. And this greeting continues whether you visit someone’s office or home. The warm Ghanaian handshake with a snap on your middle finger clicking your heart has become the African handshake. No sentence in Ghana starts & ends without the punctuations of Please & Thank you. Most Ghanaians start their church on Friday nights & continue until Sunday, this religiousness embodies love & peacefulness in their character. It was a surprise for the Ghanaian delegation that Indian wakes up late & they can start this seminar only by 11 because most Ghanaians start their day at 4AM & are in bed by 8PM.
No corruption
The top brass is absolutely committed against corruption. The best thing is you do not need to develop any contacts in the high offices, when there is a problem just fix an appointment and whether they know you or not, you are assured that the problem will be sorted out and even if you try to offer them money as appreciation, they will politely return it. I was invited to this function but I have met all these guys for the first time. The government allows you to concentrate on your business & do not waste your time on developing contacts because when the problem comes they will be on your side to solve it.
Political stability
An absolute democracy, even when there was a so called dictatorship it was like a democracy because you could call the president a Dog in the national dailies and the guy wouldn’t say anything.
Georgraphical stability
Due to lesser industrialization, lesser environment pollution, Africa is one continent where the effects of global warming are at the least. In Ghana you can’t expect a draught, floods, a hurricane, earth quakes or other natural disasters.
Electiricty
No power cuts, For a small 18 million population they have two power plants, one water based & one thermal, infact Ghana exports power to neighboring countries.
Road network
A very good quality tier 1 road infrastructure which is constantly improving to connect most parts of the country.
Telecom
Immediate availability of land lines, mobile phones, cheap broad band internet access.
Banking
A very vibrant banking industry.
Ghana ports
The only country in Africa after Mauritius where customs have become online. For any kinds of imports or exports you just need a PC in your office.
Strategic placement
Countries are courting W. Africa because oil has been discovered on its sea shores. It is projected that W. Africa will be the next Middle East & Ghana will be the Dubai.
ICT specific
Lower labor costs than India, same time zone as Europe, cheaper bandwidth costs, lower taxation, and many more benefits makes Ghana the ideal place for opening call centers or any other IT specific investment. World Bank has given a grant for $40 million for the E-ghana project and this needs to be consumed in the next 2 years.
Status of Indians in the Ghanaian society
Indians is the most respected community in Ghana and the ties are very historic since the times of Nkrumah & Nehru. There is a Jawahar Lal Nehru road & the number one house on that road is the Indian Ambassador’s residence. Now the President’s palace is being built opposite this particular site. Indians are currently the biggest investor & it is hoped that with your coming we will become even bigger
