News
Ghana EXIM Bank hosts Caribbean Export Development Agency Executive Director
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export–Import Bank (GEXIM), responsible for Finance and Administration, Mrs. Nana Akyaa Obeng-Adiyiah, on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lawrence Agyinsam, on Thursday, 8th June 2023, hosted the Executive Director of Caribbean Export Development Agency (CARIBEXPORT), Mr. Deodat Maharaj.
The meeting, which took place at the Headquarters of the Bank, located at the Africa Trade House, in Accra forms part of CARIBEXPORT’s Trade and Investment mission to Ghana with the objective to explore opportunities for Trade, Investment, and Cooperation between countries of the Caribbean Forum and Ghana.
Welcoming Mr. Maharaj, Mrs. Obeng-Adiyiah emphasised on the mandate of the Bank; supporting the Government of Ghana’s quest for a feasible and sustainable export-led economy.
She further highlighted the Bank’s support to Ghanaian businesses across several industries, from the Pharmaceutical sector, Agribusiness and Processing, Manufacturing, SMEs, and Exports, to Handicrafts.
Mrs. Obeng-Adiyiah further advocated for closer collaboration between the Bank and CARIBEXPORT for mutual benefit.
“Knowing the strategic role CARIBEXPORT plays in building a resilient and viable private sector in the Caribbean, we are excited about this meeting to explore the possibility of collaboration in areas of mutual interest. As we harness the export potential of our clients and other Ghanaian businesses, we are happy to explore opportunities for our clients and other Ghanaian businesses to get access to the Caribbean market,”she emphasised.
On his part, Mr. Deodat Maharaj expressed his appreciation to the Executive Management of GEXIM for receiving him and sharing with him a deeper insight into the Bank’s operations.
He was optimistic about a great collaboration between Ghanaian companies and CARIBEXPORT following their meetings with Ghanaian Ministers, Industry Captains, and relevant state agencies and stakeholders.
“As a regional trade and investment promotion agency focused on cutting-edge and high-impact support to the private sector, we have immensely contributed towards the creation of jobs, a transformation of our economies, and support the Caribbean to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We are happy to collaborate with Ghana Exim Bank and we could start by focussing on Renewable energy, Agriculture and Agriculture Technology, Information Communications Technology, and Financial Technology,” he added.
Mr. Maharaj later visited the GEXIM Made-In-Ghana shop (MiG Town), located on the ground floor of Africa Trade House in Accra.
The GEXIM MiG Town is an outlet that stocks assorted, innovative, and well-packaged Made-In-Ghana products including food and ingredients, beverages, skin and beauty care products, textiles, apparel, garments, leather footwear, and slippers, and many others.
The Ghana High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria, is appealing to the public to help trace the relatives or next of kin of Apia Solomon, a Ghanaian national believed to be from Osu, Accra.
According to a public announcement by the High Commission, Mr. Solomon, born on March 6, 1960, in Accra, died on July 5, 2021, from cardiopulmonary failure.
He worked as a temporary civilian staff member at the National Defence College in Nigeria. His remains are currently being kept at the Nigerian Air Force Hospital morgue in Abuja, pending burial arrangements.
The High Commission says efforts to locate his relatives have so far been unsuccessful and is urging anyone with information about his family, friends or next of kin to come forward.
Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact the Ghana High Commission in Abuja.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Security consultant Richard Kumadoe has blamed what he describes as flawed recruitment and incomplete background checks for some of the problems facing the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI).
He has called on the leadership of the BNI to review the backgrounds of officers recruited during specific periods, particularly those who entered the agency under recent recruitment processes.
Speaking on the issue on TV3 yesterday, Mr Kumadoe alleged that some individuals were recruited into the intelligence agency without proper background checks and completed vetting.
“Certain categories of persons were dumped into the BNI, whose backgrounds were not checked, and whose vettings were not completed,” he stated.
He said some of the officers linked to the concerns appeared to have been recruited within the same period, making it necessary for the agency to examine the recruitment records and backgrounds of those who joined during that time.
Mr Kumadoe argued that the problems could be addressed by ensuring that recruitment procedures were properly followed and that all applicants underwent the required checks before being employed.
According to him, when the selection process is flawed, it can lead to problems within the institution.
He blamed the politicisation of security institutions, arguing that appointing people without the necessary intelligence experience and allowing political interests to influence recruitment could undermine their operations.
“When you have a selection procedure that was flawed because you politicised the place, brought in people to come and head the place when they have no business being there, they don’t know anything about being a BNI officer, they are not intelligence officers, and you flood the place with politicians and political artists, then you circumvent the standard procedure and you are going to have some of these problems,” he said.
Mr Kumadoe, however, defended the current leadership of the BNI, arguing that efforts to address longstanding problems within security institutions could bring such issues to light.
He said the leadership should be assessed in the context of the steps it is taking to improve the agency’s operations and uphold professional standards.
Drawing on his own experience in the intelligence field, he said the opportunity to serve under experienced officers had helped him develop the skills and integrity needed to contribute to national security.
By: Jacob Aggrey
