Dear Reader,

As the end-of-year holiday season approaches, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our success possible, our member companies and key stakeholders.  It is in this spirit that we say thank you and send best wishes for the holidays and New Year.  We appreciate your continued support and partnership.  We look forward to working with you in the years to come.

If 2022 was our first full year of uninterrupted operations, post-pandemic, it served as the launchpad for 2023, which has been a whirlwind of back-to-back activity for the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC).  We have offered numerous opportunities to connect, learn and unwind.  Our gatherings have been nothing short of exhilarating, truly embodying the spirit of the UKGCC!

2023 IN REVIEW

Networking

We began the year with a bang at our Corporate Sports Jamboree, uniting over two hundred employees from member companies in a day filled with sports and camaraderie.  The success of this event has spurred our anticipation for the 2024 Jamboree—prepare your teams for another remarkable experience!  This time, it will be competitive and may the best teams win!

The highly anticipated UKGCC Royal Ascot Ladies Day Experience 2023 was a magnificent afternoon, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship in millinery and stunning fashion.  We continue to support the University of Ghana Medical Centre’s fundraising for the Clinical Research Unit and encourage you to explore ways in which you can also contribute to this cause.

The GCB Bank’s 70th-anniversary Golf Tournament, which was supported by Enterprise Group and Voltic (GH) LTD, attracted golfers from all corners of Ghana, and we aim to host even more exciting tournaments in the upcoming year.  Stay tuned for updates!

Our year culminated with the End of Year Gala Dinner and Awards, where the active participation of our members made it a resounding success.  Your support has been invaluable to us.  Our thanks go to our special guests, the Honourable MP and Minister of Trade and Industry, K. T. Hammond and His Majesty’s Deputy Trade Commissioner to Africa, Jaya Choraria.

In between these major events, our networking cocktails continued to generate significant interest, offering a platform for attendees to eagerly connect.

Oakwood Green Capital’s successful debut with its Knowledge Academy sparked engaging discussions, fostering potential collaborations.  Similarly, Goldkey Properties partnered with us for a 90s-themed networking cocktail, creating an energetic ambience that facilitated meaningful networking among guests.

We extend our deepest gratitude to all our sponsors whose generous support made these events possible.  Your belief in us is profoundly appreciated.  Thank you SuCasa Properties Ghana, GCB Bank PLC, Guinness Ghana Breweries PLC, B5 Plus LTD, DPS International School, Mere Plantations, Enterprise Group, Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, KGL Group, Absa Bank Ghana, Ghana International Bank, Golden Exotics, GOIL PLC, Blue Skies, Oakwood Green Capital, Goldkey Properties, Labadi Beach Hotel, The African Regent Hotel, Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City Accra, East Airport International School, So Fraiche Media GH Ltd, Vodafone Ghana, Voltic (GH) LTD, and Accra Brewery PLC.

Our gratitude also goes to Winmat Publishers for their generous hospitality extended to the UKGCC team and the Institute of Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) on World Press Freedom Day 2023.  During the visit, the members of IFEJ were given a comprehensive tour of Winmat Publishers, exploring different departments such as Marketing, Publishing, and Accounts.  This hands-on experience provided them with valuable insights into the world of book publishing.

Our Happy Hour networking cocktail hosted by the Deputy British High Commissioner, Keith McMahon, witnessed an exceptional turnout.  This remarkable attendance reaffirms the value our events bring to our members, highlighting their increased satisfaction and the immense worth they find in attending our gatherings.  Thank you very much, Keith.

Advocacy

Our 2022 Business Environment and Competitiveness Survey Report was publicly released in February 2023 and directed our advocacy focus areas for 2023.  Together with our member companies, we paid courtesy calls on key stakeholders, including the Inspector-General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Her Ladyship the Chief Justice, Mrs Gertrude Torkonoo, the Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Mr Michael Luguje, and Mr Kwame Oppong, head of Fintech and Innovation at the Bank of Ghana.  These high-level engagements demonstrate our commitment to facilitating meaningful connections between key decision-makers and our member companies.

Our Business Climate and Competitiveness Survey Report for 2023 would not have been possible without the invaluable partnership of PwC Ghana.  We extend our heartfelt thanks to them for their unwavering commitment to the survey this year; and also to Maverick Research for being the enumerator for this year’s survey.

The successful organisation of four sessions of our quarterly tax dialogue series and three sessions of our mandatory regulatory compliance series highlights our dedication to answering questions posed by our member companies through continuous engagement with relevant stakeholders.  These initiatives play a crucial role in promoting better compliance among our member businesses and the private sector, as well as fostering good governance in the public sector.

The acknowledgement of our 2022 UKGCC Business Climate Survey at a joint World Bank-EU event on Business Climate in Ghana highlights the credibility and influence of our work.  This recognition positions us as a trusted source of valuable insights into the micro-economic landscape in Ghana, particularly for the private sector.

Our thanks go to PwC Ghana, WTS Nobisfields, Peoples Pensions’ Trust, Koranteng & Koranteng Legal, Bespoke Travel Consult, Ghana Revenue Authority, Office of the Registrar of Companies, Ministry of Finance, SSNIT and The National Labour Commission for supporting our advocacy work.

Our platinum member CEOs’ Breakfast Meetings with the British High Commissioner served as pivotal gatherings, providing a unique platform for engaging conversations on crucial topics relevant to both UK-Ghana relations and the business community. 

This year, our breakfast meetings featured the following special guests:

1. Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) – Dr Ishmael Ackah
2. CEO of the Ghana Incentive-based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL) – Mr Kwesi Korboe
3.  Director of State Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Ambassador Henry Tachie-Menson
4. Chairman and Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission – Justice (Rtd.) Kwabena Asuman-Adu and Mr Ofosu Asamoah
5. CEO of the Ghana Association of Banks – Mr John Awuah

These distinguished guests provided valuable insights and expertise during our breakfast meetings, enriching discussions on crucial topics relevant to our members and contributing to a deeper understanding of various sectors and regulatory frameworks in Ghana.  We cannot thank them enough.

This year, the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) played a pivotal role in advancing our advocacy efforts, by funding our Women and Tax survey.  In addition, FCDO entrusted us with the role of programme manager for their flagship tax initiative, the Ghana Revenue Programme (GRP), at the Ghana Revenue Authority.  This opportunity not only underscores the confidence FCDO places in our capabilities as their delivery partner but also reflects our joint commitment to fostering positive change in the fiscal landscape in Ghana.  The collaborative journey with FCDO has been instrumental in achieving significant milestones, and we look forward to continuing our partnership in the coming year.  Thank you, FCDO, for your continuous support and for being a catalyst in driving positive change in the realms of advocacy and tax programmes.

Trade Services

Recognising the importance of capacity building, we collaborated with the UK’s Department for Business and Trade to host a webinar on Energy Management Solutions for Ghanaian Industries.  Additionally, in partnership with KPMG and JLD &MB, we conducted a series of webinars focused on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.  We also partnered with the UK’s Institute of Export and International Trade, UK, to deliver a course on the UK-Ghana Interim Trade Partnership Agreement.  These initiatives provide valuable training and knowledge to our network, empowering them to navigate the complexities of international trade and adopt sustainable business practices.

We would like to extend our appreciation to the following institutions who nominated speakers and subject matter experts who generously shared their knowledge and expertise in our webinars/seminars throughout the year: UK Visas and Immigration, Office of the Registrar of Companies, Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Ministry of Finance, Ghana Export Promotion Authority, National Labour Commission, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), PwC Ghana, Aqua Africa, Social Security and National Insurance Trust, Peoples’ Pensions Trust, IT Consortium, British High Commission, Accra and CalBank PLC.  Our special appreciation goes to Mrs. Jemima Oware, Registrar of Companies, Mr. Moses Yidana, Head of Transfer Pricing Unit at the Ghana Revenue Authority, Papa Kow Bartels, immediate past Head of Trade and Investment, Ghana High Commission, UK, Mrs. Naa Lamle Orleans-Lindsay, Head Lega Division and Company Secretary at the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and Keith McMahon, Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission, Ghana, who enriched our sessions with their invaluable insights.

Their contributions have been instrumental in making our webinars not just informative sessions but dynamic platforms for meaningful discussions and insights.  The diverse perspectives and wealth of knowledge they brought to their sessions have enriched the learning experiences of our participants and added tremendous value to our community.

Through a collaborative effort with the British International Investment’s Ghana Investment Support Programme and the Growth Investment Partners, we organised a well-attended investor matchmaking session for selected SMEs.  This initiative provides emerging businesses in our network with access to potential financing and investment opportunities, enabling them to grow and expand their operations.

We led a trade mission to the SME Expo in London where attendees got the opportunity to network with other SMEs, entrepreneurs, investors, and other stakeholders for collaboration, partnerships, and business growth.

We were also happy to have organised a successful trade mission to the UK for a roundtable with the British Standards Institution (BSI) and participation in the Ghana Investment and Opportunities Summit (GHIOS).

We also hosted a reception in Accra for the visiting delegation from the UK’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), UK, demonstrating our commitment to fostering collaborations and partnerships and promoting bilateral trade between the UK and Ghana. 

The culmination of trade missions for 2023 was our record delegation to the Africa Financial Services Investment Conference 2023 (AfSIC) in London, UK, where we hosted the Ghana Summit.  This underscores our unwavering commitment to promoting trade and investment opportunities between Ghana and the UK.  AfSIC provided a platform to showcase Ghana’s potential to investors and businesses worldwide, further strengthening our position as a gateway to trade and investment in Africa.

Through these trade missions, UKGCC facilitated strategic business partnerships between participants and local businesses in the UK and vice versa.  Our trade missions have provided platforms for Ghanaian and UK businesses to explore new markets, meet potential business partners, and initiate collaborations.

Conclusion

As we prepared to round up our exhilarating year, the UKGCC was shortlisted for the second year running and honoured with the esteemed title of International Chamber of the Year 2023 by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) at its Annual General Meeting, sponsored by the British Standards Institution (BSI).  This recognition celebrated the UKGCC’s remarkable commitment to advancing UK-Ghana trade relations and is a testament to the diligent efforts of the UKGCC team, backed by the unwavering support of member companies, the executive council, advisory board, honorary patrons, and partners.

We express our sincere appreciation to AM Group for their consistent support in advancing our initiatives and fostering connections between the UK and Ghana.  Special thanks also go to our events coordinator extraordinaire, Pippa Rich.  Her energy and creativity are simply unmatched.

You could not miss us in the news this year.  If you saw us on TV, heard about us on the radio, or read about us in the newspapers and online news platforms, it was thanks to our media partners, whose support in disseminating news about our events, ensured increased media mentions and top of mind awareness within the business community and the public at large.  We are supremely grateful to Multimedia Group, Graphic Communications Group LTD., Asaase Broadcasting, Business & Financial Times, Ghana Television, United Television, TV3, Trade Facilitators International LTD., Business24, Investment Times, and the numerous online news portals who shared our activities with the world.

Finally, our gratitude goes to our Honorary Patrons, Her Excellency the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson and His Excellency the Ghana High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Papa Owusu-Ankomah for their constant and unwavering support of our work.  Their gracious presence, hosting, and consistent support at UKGCC events have been invaluable.  Their dedication and assistance have significantly contributed to the success and growth of the UKGCC throughout the year.  We deeply appreciate their commitment to fostering strong bilateral relations between the UK and Ghana and look forward to continued collaboration in the upcoming year.

We do not know what 2024 holds but we know this for certain: we will surpass the excellence of this year, guided by our values, the standards of excellence that have been set, and the unflinching resolve to continue to create networks and connect businesses in the promotion of trade between Ghana and the UK.

Cheers to 2024! Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season!

Adjoba