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The IrIdescenT Island:MaUrITIUs

The QUeen of hIll sTaTIons: ooTY

afrIMa 2014 UnITes afrIca aT specTacUlar cereMonY In lagos

promoting northern corridor projects

THE MAKING OF ‘SHRESHTH BHARAT’The Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra

Modi, has declared a series of amenities for expatriate Indians that strive to free them of procedures on their arrival to

India and within the country.Inaugurating the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

(PBD), planned by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) in corporation with the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and the Government of Gujarat, the Prime Minister said life time visa will now be granted to PIO cardholders and as a trademark of respect them, the regulation

Jolie, pitt donate cheetah enclosure

Wassupafrica02

Sonarwa to launch new insurance productsRwanda’s oldest insurance services provider, Sonarwa General Insurance has announced plans to regain its market share as one of the leading insurers in the country.

The plan includes availing new products like crop and medical liability insurance among others.

According to Charles Karake, the firm’s board chairman, the company has been losing its lead position in the market as new insurance companies join the industry.

Karake said the strategic plan will be finalised this month when the board

Ghana to have a new national airline by MarchThe much anticipated

new national airliner is expected to take off by

March this year. That would happen after accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers presents its interim report on the proposed national carrier to government.

The firm was contracted in 2014 to work out modalities for the new carrier for the country.

Deputy Transport Minister, Joyce Bawah-Mogtari, confirmed

to Joy Business government's plans to have the new airline airborne in March 2015.

She said PricewaterhouseCoopers is going to advice on credible strategic investors in the airline.

"Chances are it might be an existing airline with a seriously obvious brand...it might be one of our domestic carriers that is willing to partner government to bring back this airline", said

meets. “For us to regain our customers

and get more, we are looking at introducing products like medical liability insurance which will allow customers to get treatment even when they are out of Rwanda,” he said.

Karake is optimistic that with the new products such as crop insurance for farmers and efficient service delivery, the firm could add more relevance to the market.

According to figures from the insurer, between January and October 2014, the company paid Rwf 4.2

billion in claims which Soji Emiola; the firm’s managing director said was as a result of their improved commitment towards paying claims.

“We not only want to pay claims but also want to do it promptly basing on the information we are able to get from our customers during the claims processes,” Emiola said.

The 40-year-old insurance company has a market share of about 17 per cent.

It’s therefore vital for the firm to innovate further to be able to survive the growing competition.

Emiola said the economy which still has low levels of insurance penetration (about 1.6 per cent) presented opportunities for the insurers as it is growing at a fast rate.

The insurance sector still has a low uptake of policies, with the private insurers receiving Rwf34.9 billion in premiums during the third quarter of last year, a small increase from the Rwf32.4 billion recorded in the same period in 2013

The central bank acknowledged that paid claims had increased last year, from Rwf13.6 billion in the third quarter of 2013 to Rwf14.9 billion in the same period last year.

New Times

Jolie, Pitt donate cheetah enclosureAmerican film stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have continued supporting a Namibian private wildlife sanctuary with a new enclosure for endangered cheetahs, the sanctuary said.

“Five of your seven magnificent cheetahs are strolling into their new seven-hectare enclosure, purring their appreciation for the Jolie-Pitts,” the N/a'an ku se Foundation said in a newsletter. “We hope one day to be able to show Shiloh [Jolie-Pitt] the piece of paradise she created”.

Shiloh Jolie-Pitt is the firstborn of the actors' three biological children, with the pair also having three adopted children. Shiloh, eight-years old, was born in Namibia in May 2006, to where the couple retreated for several weeks to prepare for the baby's birth away from international media hype.

ENCLOSURE FOR BABOONSJolie and Pitt established the Jolie-Pitt Foundation in Namibia in 2006 to mark the birth of daughter Shiloh.

“The foundation continues to bless our many projects,” the N/a'an ku se wildlife sanctuary stated. The recent completion of a five-hectare enclosure for baboons - either orphaned or brought injured to N/a'an ku se and nursed back to health but cannot be released into the wild - was entirely funded by the Jolie-Pitt Foundation.

“New housing for our [employed] San [Bushmen] - fully covered by the

Jolie-Pitt Foundation is just one of many projects,” the newsletter said.

Jolie first became involved with N/a'an ku se after working with local conservationist Marlice van Vuuren on a film shoot - “Beyond Borders” - in 2003 in Namibia.

Van Vuuren and her husband Rudi are co-founders of N/a'an ku se, about 50km east of the capital Windhoek.

RURAL VILLAGERSJolie has “since visited N/a'an ku se several times, together with Brad Pitt and their six children,” the N/a'an ku se website notes.

“They take an active interest and involvement in our projects, feeding the animals in our sanctuary and meeting the San Bushman community here.”

Both Pitt and Jolie have donated to many causes internationally, including Global Action for Children and Doctors without Borders. They contribute to projects worldwide in honour of their children including the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation in Cambodia, which works with rural villagers and local governments to improve access to health care and education and to alleviate food insecurity.

Maddox, from Cambodia, was adopted by Jolie, with the actor receiving him in Namibia in 2003 while shooting “Beyond Borders”.

www.namibian.com

Bawah-Mogtari.She said although the time

looks short, government is committed to ensuring the national airliner takes off in March.

"Three months is a long time for a lot of things to happen and government has actually indicated its preparedness to this in the shortest possible time", she said.

Modern Ghana

GIFEC to train 5000 artisans in free ICT courseOver five thousand

artisans nationwide are to receive Information

and Communication Technology training from the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications.

The programme which is being run free of charge under a Digital Inclusiveness Project would soon be launched in Cape Coast in the Central Region.

Potential targets include carpenters, hairdressers and auto mechanics, in collaboration with the respective artisan groups.

With the help of Community Information Centers spread across the various districts, municipal and metropolitan areas, artisans will receive free ICT training within two weeks.

Administrator of GIFEC, Kofi Attor, told Nhyira News the project will equip artisans with ICT knowledge to boost productivity as they learn new and improved trends.

“Within two weeks, they [artisans] will have to go home with some knowledge on how to use the ICT. We don't want the Community Information Centers to just stand in there as a middle class thing. We want it to be relevant to the economic needs of everybody. There's always the best practice somewhere. If you Google carpentry in China, I am sure you will get something. The people would not be paying for the training. We will be pay for the training; go in there and use the computer to assist your

work within two weeks”. Mr Attor revealed.

GIFEC has been implementing several ICT-related projects which seek to reach and leverage the capacity of overlooked groups and individuals as it covers underserved areas. He projects include Community Information Center, Rural Telephony and School Connectivity.

GIFEC is also seeking to equip about 64 libraries across the country with e-learning materials.

A part of the package, 28 librarians recently underwent training at the John Agyekum Kuffuor ICT Center Nkwantakese in the Afigya Kwabre District of the Ashanti Region.

Mr. Attor believes the Library Connectivity Project, in partnership with the Ghana Library Board, will make libraries more relevant. More than fifty libraries have been connected so far under the project.

“What we are doing to add some value to the library is to put computers into the libraries so that people who are doing research and people who are going to study can complement e-arrangement (electronic arrangement) with the physical library. It makes library research a little more interesting”.

Modern Ghana

Kofi Attor, Administrator of GIFEC

L-R Allen Karungi SONARWA's Head of Corporate Communications, Chief Finance Officer Segun Ilori, CEO Soji Emiola, Charles Karake Mutsinzi, and Company Secretary Edu Elias at a recent press briefing in Kigali.

MONDAY | JANUARY 12, 2015

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Rwanda’s tea industry could be destined for a better year following a consensus among key sector players to increase the liquor quality benchmark to at least 7 out of the possible 11 aggregates.

According to the National Agriculture Export Board (NAEB) achieving such a standard will not only boost the quality of tea exports, but will also improve

Tea sector players set new standards to boost quality

Uganda’s Vice-President Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi, has called on Ugandan diplomats accredited to foreign missions to market achievements realised so far under the Northern Corridor projects summits.

Sekandi made the remarks while addressing the diplomats at Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday.

“You need to pay particular attention to the developments under the Northern Corridor projects’ summits and the deliverables, such as the Standard Gauge Railway, power generation, oil pipeline development and the single customs territory,” Sekandi said. Eight summits have so far been held in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda with the objective of achieving the infrastructure development goals.

Just last month, the Heads of State of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the management of the Northern Corridor air space bloc. “These are marketable business plans. The achievements realised so far offer relevant lessons to

Ugandan envoys urged to promote Northern Corridor projects

the region,” Sekandi added.Uganda’s High Commissioner to

Rwanda, Richard Kabonero, called on other countries which are not necessarily part of the Northern Corridor like neighbouring DRC to cooperate in achieving the infrastructure projects.

The 8th Northern Corridor Integration Projects Summit last month reiterated the importance of fast-tracking the operationalisation of One Network Area in Uganda and directed Ministers of Finance and ICT to resolve all outstanding issues on the One Network Area by January. Kabonero said a decision will soon be taken to have Uganda join Kenya and Rwanda in the One Network Area where people will enjoy one mobile telecommunication network, free of roaming charges as is the case between Rwanda and Kenya.

“We shall immensely benefit. In fact, revenue authorities will gain as we have seen the statistics from Kenya – the volumes rose as a result of lowering excise duty on calls,” Kabonero said.

New Times

the value and volume of tea exports through value addition and product diversification,” Kayonga said.

He noted that the idea is to make the tea sector sustainable and competitive globally while enhancing its contribution to the national economy.

The efforts to boost quality along the value chain follows

chain, it could hurt the industry.Government through EDPRS II

is targeting to increase production from current 27,597.8 metric tons (MT) to 41,070.5 metric tons by 2018 and it’s through emphasizing quality that such targets will be achieved.

According to sector performance targets 2014-215, the sector’s productivity for the last 11 months was established at 22,202 metric tons (MT) compared to the projected 27,592 by the end of 2014 and 22,715 metric tons in 2013.

Over the past 11 months, the tea sector has so far fetched $48.2m which is still low compared to the annual target of $68.6m and $53.7m baseline.

The low productivity has been attributed to last year’s drought among other factors.

According to most farmers, low production was as a result of prolonged drought the country experienced in 2013.

“Despite these challenges, we are still below the capacity and we must do more to improve both production and quality.”

“Prices on the international market were very low. That is why we want to achieve the minimum of at least 7 out of the maximum, in terms of quality to be able to compete. Stake holders need to understand that there is always a positive coloration between price and quality,” Kayonga stressed.

New Times

necessitating them to visit a police station to validate their credentials once every week, has been junked.

Mr. Modi said while the PIO and OCI cards have been amalgamated, permitting analogous amenities to either cardholder, electronic authorization of visa has begun, apart from extending the facility of visa on arrival from 43 countries. In addition, the Pravasi Bharatiya Centre will be operational in Delhi soon.

The Prime Minister said engaging with the pravasis was not a one-way street; “not everything should be seen in terms of pounds or dollar” he said, adding that overseas Indians need to be given generous support so that they feel passionate in contributing to India’s development. He recommended that an online quiz competition could be started from the PBD platform on ‘Bharat ko Jano’ for teams of young people worldwide. This would aid in projecting India’s development effort in the right viewpoint. The competition, he said, could be conducted round the year so that the campaign for knowing India becomes a world-wide movement.

Mr. Modi commended the pravasis to vigorously participate in the government’s ambitious ‘Clean Ganga’ initiative by sharing their expertise in technology, innovations, ideas and resources. “There are opportunities for all along the river – in agriculture, water transport, city development and village rejuvenation and even

adventure sports,” the Prime Minister said.

On the occurrence of the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa, the Prime Minister released Rs 25 and Rs 5 commemorative stamps and Rs 100 and Rs 10 coins.

The Chief Guest at the PBD, Mr. Donald R. Ramotar, President of the Republic of Guyana, said India’s has seen a transformational change in recent years. The time has come for India to exhibit its mature political leadership to direct other developing countries, take part more energetically in internal forums, look outwards for channelizing investments to other countries and strengthen air and maritime links with the rest of the world. He assured Guyana’s loyalty to India’s pursuit of reform of the UN Security Council and expressed total support for India’s candidature for a permanent seat in an expanded Security Council.

Ms. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Republic of South

Africa, the Guest of Honour, pointed out that the political, economic and cultural ties between South Africa and India were robust. These were surfaced by the community of Indians in South Africa, the second largest outside India. The bonds must be further reinforced by addressing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and under-development.

She emphasized the need for closer cooperation between the two countries in the fields of IT, healthcare and renewable energy and articulated her confidence that India would support South Africa in its expansion efforts.

Ms. Sushma Swaraj, Union Minister for External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs, stressed that successful and politically powerful diaspora is an advantage to India. She called upon the diaspora to follow a mutually satisfying participation in developing India.

She urged the Indian youth diaspora to ‘connect, celebrate and contribute’ to the transformational

competitiveness of the tea industry.We should aspire to achieve

an average of 7 aggregates of green leaf standard mark out of 11 aggregates, which is the maximum benchmark in quality of green tea leaves, George William Kayonga, the Naeb Chief Executive officer, told farmers during a recent national forum for tea farmers. He emphasised the need to boost quality along the value chain of supply in 2015.

“We target to improve factory processing efficiency that meets customer demands and enhance

recently signed agreements between government and tea cooperatives to boost production across the county.

The tea industry registered a slight decline in production during 2013 and the first 11 months of 2014. According to statistics, very few tea cooperatives and factories scored above 7 aggregates according to the 2013 -2014 quality liquor indicators on the quality and pricing of tea.

According to experts, if sector players don’t work hard to improve quality standards along the value

change being observed in India in the making of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat’.

The Minister said that Youth PBD was not just about networking with the young people of this country but has appeared as a significant podium for the diaspora to determine and cultivate their roots.

She enticed to the youth to attach with the young generation of Indians – over 50% of the Indian people were under 25 years. Youth PBD, she said, was a juncture to

celebrate India’s traditions, art and culture, even as the country endeavours to authorize its youth with technology.

“What excites the world today is India’s growth story,” Ms. Swaraj said and pointed to the government’s achievement in bringing about a comprehensive revolution of the business sentiment in the country. This, she added, was the consequence of the numerous steps undertaken by the government to recover the ease of doing business.

Ms. Priti Patel, MP, UK Prime

Minister’s Diaspora Champion and Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, The UK, in her remarks, said that Britain was home to over 1.5 million expatriate Indians who firmly believed in family values, enterprise and service to others. “The young people are our shared hope and it was important to educate and skill them as tomorrow’s prosperity depends on them,” she added.

Dr. Rashmi Das, Chairperson, World Organisation of Students & Youth, pointed out that the principles that defined India were appeal for knowledge seeking and work efficiency; peace keeping infrastructure and the essence of voluntarism. She urged the youth diaspora to look at India’s development as a common cause and dedicate themselves to its achievement.

Ms. Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, said that the new economic and social initiatives launched by the Central Government have unleashed a new wave of passion among the people. The pravasis with the genuine hard work had elevated India’s image internationally, while keeping the links with the land of their origin alive.

The Vote of Thanks was given by General V K Singh, Minister of State for Statistics & Programme Implementation (Independent Charge), External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs, the dignitaries at the session were felicitated by Mr. Sunil Soni, Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.

(Left-Right) Presidents Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Uhuru Kinyata (Kenya), Paul Kagame (Rwanda) and Salva Kiir (South Sudan) at Serana hotel in Kigali for the 6th Northern Corridor Integration Summit.

Minister Sushma Swaraj at 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

mONDAY | JANUARY 12, 2015

countryoftheWeek04

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the most conducive business environments in Africa with flexible and expanding markets and low tax rates, the island country can be used as a base to expand and invest in Africa and even in many parts of Asia. FDI in tourism, ICT and Media sectors is on the rise in Mauritius, and service sector which is currently the driving force of the economy is expected to remain so. Also, large concentration of middle and high income earners presents ample opportunities for consumer industries to bloom.

RELATIONS WITH INDIAIndia is one of the largest trading partner of Mauritius, along with China and France. Since 2007, India has continued to be Mauritius’ largest trading partner.

In FY 2012-2013, India exported goods worth US$ 1.31 billion and imported goods worth US$ 28.49 million. Mauritius was the largest source of FDI for India in the financial year 2012-13.

India is also supporting many projects in Mauritius some of which includes the Mahatma Gandhi Institute, the Upadhyay Training

Conference Centre (SVICC).

HANDLING SETBACKSRegardless of accomplishing exceptional growth levels, and becoming one of the most willing economy in Africa, Mauritius’ government still needs to deal with a few holdups which could obstruct the country’s growth, and may reduce investor confidence in the country. Quality of education needs to be upgraded, and the government is expected to take necessary steps in this direction. A fall in savings rate and its effect on account deficits is a matter of concern for the Mauritian authorities. Being a small economy, Mauritius is disposed to external economic shocks, its currency can also be easily affected by fall or rise in Euro and Dollar rates.

The Mauritian government is positive in handling these issues and have also taken necessary steps. Steps are being taken to diversify export and tourism. The central bank has also offered line of credit in foreign currencies to struggling exporters. Operation Reserves Reconstitution was launched by the Bank of Mauritius in an effort to build a larger foreign

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and African countries. India is among the largest trading partner of Mauritius. Its GDP per capita in terms of Purchasing Power Parity was $15,649 in 2013.

STEADY GROWTHMauritius performance in the past four decades is praiseworthy. From an economy based entirely on agriculture, the country has very successfully created its place in the global economic system. It has attained what many developing countries have failed to achieve, an equitable income distribution, a sharp fall in Gini Coefficient over a period of two decades. The country’s economic growth is patent by improvements

Having the region's best business background and most competitive

economy, Mauritius is well placed to shape on the development it has made by contributing in the global industry and services value chains. Its official name is Republic of Mauritius and the country is spread over an area of 2,040 km2. In the recent few years, Mauritius has become one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. Its outstanding growth from a low income economy to a middle income economy can be elucidated by well-planned policies and translucent business environments. The country also ranked 1st in the Global Competitiveness Report for 2013-2014.

A STORY OF SUCCESSThe small island country amazed the world when it came out as Africa’s most auspicious economy outpacing many top economies of the continent. Worldwide, Mauritius is known as a tourist’s spot, with its beautiful beaches, palm trees and luxurious hotels, which the country has banked upon to boost its economic growth. The country is also known for its exceptional infrastructure, low trade barriers, high level

in the social sector with improved infrastructure facilities, improved life expectancy and lower infant mortality.

By following liberal investment policies and offering incentives for FDI, the island country has managed to attract more than 9,000 offshore businesses mostly aimed at India and South Africa. Investment in banking sector alone reached $1 billion dollars.

Being as member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has aided the country to enter into multipole bilateral agreements, these factors help Mauritian

Imports (%age share of total) 2012 2013 2014Electrical Equipment 5.65 5.58 5.48Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers 7.68 7.54 7.40Mineral fuels, Oils, Distillation Products 23.89 23.68 23.01Fish, Crustaceans, Molluscs, Aquatic 6.03 6.06 5.78 invertebrates

Exports (%age share of total) 2012 2013 2014Fish 12.90 29.39 27.34Sugars & Sugar Confectionary 11.23 10.10 10.44Pearls, Precious Stones, Metals and Coins 5.46 5.14 4.78Apparels and Accessories 32.35 29.39 27.34

MAURITIUSThe Iridescent Island

based firms to gain preferential treatment in African markets, thus making Mauritius a profitable investment destination.

TRADE OVERVIEWMauritius’ exports are mostly conquered by textiles. Sugar, fish and various metals and precious stones. Whereas oil, mineral fuels, electronic dominate the imports of the country.

Mauritius ranks among

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj calls on Prime Minister Dr. Navin Ramgoolam of Mauritius in Port Louis

of education along with a good governing system, stable political environment and a competitive and transparent business culture. Mauritius was an agriculture based economy until four decades ago, and has recently expanded itself by presenting new crops, banking on tourism, financial services and other sectors.

Its strategic position in the Indian Ocean, makes it a hub for economic activities between Asian

Centre, the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, the SubramaniaBharati Eye Centre, etc.

Projects enjoying a high degree of visibility are the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre and the Rabindranath Tagore Institute. The most prestigious symbols of recent Indian assistance are the Cyber Tower at Ebene and the Swami Vivekananda International

exchange reserves. The long term challenge

for Mauritius is to maintain its position in the ever changing global economic scenario. Mauritius is a perfect example of well-planned government policies and their proper execution. The story of Mauritius is that of adaptability, good leadership, innovation and consensus building.

MONDAY | JANUARY 12, 2015

BusinessBuzz 05

MTN Unleashes Digital Journey 2.0 with BetterMe App

IMF Executive Board Completes First PSI Review for TanzaniaThe Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund completed the first review of Tanzania's economic performance under the program supported by the Policy Support Instrument (PSI)1 and granted a waiver for the non-observance of the continuous

Domestic Airline Starbow will from next month increase its flights to destinations across the country.

This is because the Airline is adding two new aircrafts to its fleet to enable it extend its operations to destinations where it previously was impossible for

MTN Nigeria has disclosed it is moving to a new dispensation called Telco 1.5, which is characterized by full scale focus on data and digital services leveraging the power of the internet. MTN Nigeria which has 60 million subscribers as at the end of year 2014, according to Funmi Onajide, the general manager, Corporate Affairs, on January 1, launched the BetterMe campaign as a clear evidence of how Nigerians can use the power of the internet to do extraordinary things in ways that add values to their lives.

Onajide while speaking at a press conference in Lagos

Starbow to introduce new aircraft next month

to announce the launch of the Campaign, re-emphasized that telecom products and services in the currently are moving from predominately voice to data and digital services.

She said, “In the past the focus was on voice- that is the ability to connect people so that they could make phone calls. This industry has achieved that well over 100 million active subscribers in Nigeria of which MTN has 60 million subscribers as at the end of 2014.

On the BetterMe campaign, Onajide said, “As you know, Nigerians are very innovative and

Airline.“These new aircraft we're

bringing are “New Generation Aircraft” with a better fuel consumption. It will enable us operate in Kumasi for instance twice or thrice in a day, into Kumasi and Takoradi and we can offer more flights which are more

meet the budget deficit target and will review revenues and adjust expenditures accordingly in the context of the mid-year budget review. It will be critical to the business environment to address the governance issues raised by the IPTL case, which would also

New Corporate Attire for UBA GhanaUBA Ghana has outdoored new corporate attire for its front office operations staff in all of its banking halls across the country.

Explaining the rationale behind this, the MD/CEO Mrs. Abiola Bawuah indicated that the bank decided to outdoor this new attire on this first working day of the year to symbolize the bank’s new commitment for service delivery.

“At UBA, we pay close attention to service quality hence the need to go a step further in grooming the staff who on daily basis interact with our customers.

“It is our believe that the energy and confidence the corporate attire

has generated already will impact the excellent customer service delivery disposition for 2015 she concluded.

The Chief Operations Officer Mr. Adedayo Adesipo in a message to the front office staff advised them to ensure that customer experience on the shop floors become a point of reference in the industry.

The Operations staff in a short interaction with the reporter expressed their appreciation to the bank for adorning them with new corporate attire which strongly elicits the UBA brand personality of energy, boldness and confidence.

Ghanaian Chronicle

tremendously.“The aircraft that we have

previously – the bigger ones we were not getting the numbers and there was high fuel consumption which was not good for our operation so we were going to Takoradi twice and in Tamale once, but now Tamale we'll be doing about three flights into Tamale and about four or five flights into Kumasi. We'll be going to Sunyani, sometimes Accra – Kumasi – Tamale – Accra, Accra – Kumasi

– Sunyani or Accra – Sunyani and back,” he said.

“Asked whether or not Starbow can operate in Sunyani since its aircrafts are too big for the airport there, Mr. Antwi said the new generation aircrafts will be able to land everywhere, Tamale, Kumasi, Sunyani – it can land in any of the stations.”

Modern Ghana

it to. Speaking with Joy Business, Chief Executive Officer of Starbow Eric Antwi says customers should expect improved services from the

comfortable and even faster now,” he said.

He said flights to other cities in the country will be boosted

millions of people, especially our youth are already very familiar with the internet. The ‘Better Me’ campaign will build on that and will expose Nigerians from all works of life to how they can use the internet to do all sort of things that are relevant to their peculiar circumstances and show them how various digital and data products and services can make their lives better.” They include websites such as pidgin-based websites, local language news and a variety of useful information which should help people to see the positive value in the internet.

Bayo Adekanmbi, Chief Marketing Officer, in a presentation provided further details about the App, stressing that in spite about 200% growth in internet penetration in the country in the recent years, the usage has remained limited. Also speaking, Fola Akinmolayan, CEO, NEO-2 Limited, said “the BetterMe Bundle is a rich bouquet loaded with internet data (MB) , voice minutes (National) and sms that gives you the opportunity to be better in various facets of life through access to the power of the internet. Whether you want to be better in Business, relationships with friends and family, fashion, health or style, access to the internet via MTN makes it easy for you to access information on the go”.

Aside the Better Me app, MTN also showcased the benefits of ‘My2015App” as a one stop guide to news, resolutions, prophecies, opportunities, deals and more; which the offers are available to users on daily and monthly bundles.

He said that as the world is fast changing, with technology taking over people’s everyday lives, access to the internet provides opportunities that enable individuals to achieve greater heights and do a whole lot of things faster and better with less effort.

Nigeria Communications Week

assessment criterion on the non-accumulation of external arrears.

The PSI for Tanzania was approved by the Executive Board on July 16, 2014 (see Press Release No. 14/350). Tanzania's program under the PSI supports the authorities' medium-term objectives. These include: the maintenance of macroeconomic stability, the preservation of debt sustainability, and the promotion of more equitable growth and job creation.

Following the Board discussion, Mr. Min Zhu, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, made the following statement:

“Macroeconomic developments in Tanzania remain favorable. Economic growth was strong during the first half of 2014 and is expected to remain close to 7 percent. Inflation remains in mid-single digits, consistent with the authorities' target of 5 percent by June 2015.

“Performance under the Policy Support Instrument was satisfactory through June, but has deteriorated since and risks have risen, stemming from delays in disbursements of donor assistance and external nonconcessional borrowing, and shortfalls in domestic revenues. Against this backdrop, the authorities' commitment to keep the program on track is welcome, and they have reaffirmed their intention to

unlock donor assistance.“It will be important to

strengthen the coordination between fiscal and monetary policies. The conversion of monetary policy instruments to financing papers facilitated the front-loading of capital expenditures but complicated monetary policy implementation. It will be more effective and less disruptive to accommodate the planned expenditure through better planning to align spending and financing.

“The issue of domestic arrears, which continued to accumulate, needs to be addressed comprehensively and forcefully. Work to verify and eventually clear arrears to suppliers already incurred is ongoing. The authorities' plan to prevent future arrears accumulation is appropriately ambitious and will require sustained implementation. Addressing arrears to pension funds and making government relations with them more transparent is also critical to their sustainability.”

The PSI helps countries design effective economic programs that, once approved by the IMF's Executive Board, signal to donors, multilateral development banks, and markets the Fund's endorsement of a member's policies.

Modern Ghana

mONDAY | JANUARY 12, 2015

fRaNkLY sPeaKinG06

By kirit soBti, editor, iateditor@indoafricatimes.com

Owing a car is the uppermost accomplishment in the life of many Africans and driving one’s own car does not only come with status but

also a positive position from society. More admired is driving the latest automobiles and many Africans particularly those in higher positions in life such as pastors, CEOs, politicians and those in the academia compete with one another as to who owns the most striking cars.

The automobile market is vivacious in Africa and consequently most of the developed countries in the automobile industry cannot do without the Africa market.

The BMW Group is the foremost premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. As a worldwide company, the BMW Group functions 28 production and assembly services in 13 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

The triumph of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and accountable action. The company has hence recognized ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, inclusive product responsibility and a clear commitment to preserving resources as an essential part of its strategy.

Determined to take the lead in the Nigeria luxury car market, Coscharis Motors has recently revealed the all-new BMW X4 Sport Activity Vehicle, SUV, into the market.

The new BMW X4 was unveiled at Coscharis showroom in Victoria Island, Lagos, and was applauded by members of the press who thumbed up BMW for ingenuity in the new X4. The main characteristics of the new X4 include adaptive light control, driving control with ECO PRO mode, twin power turbo inline four cylinder, among others.

The all-new X4 will positively upsurge the market share of the luxury car market because it offers value for money. However the BMW X4 looks more like a compact BMW X6, but X4 stands in the gap for both X5 and X6 and that it furnishes an exclusive combination of sporty and stylish auto design, exceptional adaptability, space and the trademark of BMW sheer driving experience.

The BMW X4 is designed to be spacious, with an excellent functionality. However, this does not

A Galaxy on Wheels

CLAUdIO dESCALzI FORMER MD, BMW SOUTH AFRICA

MR. TIM ABBOTTMD, BMW, SOUTH AFRICA

Motorcycle enthusiasts in South Africa now have a new destination to mingle with the likeminded people in the new flagship store recently inaugurated in the center of Cape Town. The store is the first store to house the ‘Make Life a Ride’ campaign by BMW. The campaign aims to gain excess to new and unknown segments which BMW has a good record in.

The opening of the new store was marked by an extravagant launch party which was attended by around 350 guests, which included riders, journalists, photographers, friends, investors and other colleagues.

“We are delighted to bring the world of BMW Motorrad to this vibrant part of South Africa and to have the support of our colleagues from BMW

Motorrad South Africa and Germany in creating and opening this flagship store,” said Leon Potgieter. “These are exciting times for BMW Motorrad and people want to be associated with the brand. Our vision has been to provide a destination for riders and fans to ‘MAKE LIFE A RIDE’. Now that Donford Motorrad Cape Town is finally open for business, we hope to welcome many more riders to one of the best motorcycling destinations imaginable.”

The lifestyle store will act as a platform for bike lovers to meet, communicate, and share stories and adventures. The flagship store will also include its own coffee shop making it a vantage point for the biking community and loyal customers of BMW.

Alexander Baraka, General Manager BMW Motorrad South Africa, also remarked, “It’s a great honour to be here and be part of the celebrations for this first MAKE LIFE A RIDE flagship store in the world. These are exciting and important times ahead for South Africa and BMW Motorrad, and it’s great to see the new brand direction in action.”

BMW Motorrad started back in 1923 and really began to take off in the 1960s. Since then sales have risen consistently, especially in SA where it holds a 36.4% market share. Currently, BMW bikes are sold in 90 countries around the world with more than 1,000 dealers, but the company plans to grow this to 1,500 dealers.

BMW opens Flagship store for Biking Enthusiasts

We clearly see that there is a growing middle class coming through in Africa and that there is a lot of interest in development and we assume that the middle class as we have seen it in South Africa is growing and there is purchasing power and there is a demand for our cars as well.

It is worth to highlight that the majority of Germany’s Africa-based enterprises have not persisted harsh influence as a consequence of the Ebola epidemic.

adversely affect the car's dynamic appearance. It is simply a car with intelligent novelties.

The BMW makes out exclusive assets both inside and outside. Its lifted seat position offers a faultless vision of the high-class, evidently designed interior.

The BMW X4 is born to deliver, hence, the 3.0 litre twin-power turbo six-cylinder petrol engine with 225 KW (305 horsepower). This produces a maximum torque of 400 Nm.

In South Africa, the outgoing models of BMW had before now set standards with the flawless balance of power, competence, agility, comfort and luxury typical of M models. New models have also written a garden-fresh episode in its success story, powered by an even more finely-honed, well-resolved overall concept.

The three new cars proclaimed their high-performance credentials before they even turn a wheel, thanks to their athletic and an active appearance.

A front end with new, standard-fitted LED headlights made their intentions immediately clear

– the M-specific double-bar kidney grille and eye-catching front apron with large air intakes see to that.

The sculpted front wings with hallmark M gills, the side skirts and the exclusive forged 19-inch M light-alloy wheels (BMW M6 Gran Coupe exclusive forged 20-inch M light-alloy wheels) only add to this impression.

The sporting looks of the new models rounded off by a rear apron with integrated diffuser insert, two sets of M-specific twin tailpipes and the M6 logo on the boot lid. Another exclusive M feature is the ultra-lightweight contoured carbon roof of the new BMW M6 Coupe and new BMW M6 Gran Coupe, which also aids to lower the cars’ centre of gravity visually.

The new BMW M6 range goes on sale in South Africa in the second quarter of 2015.

It is worth to highlight that the majority of Germany’s Africa-based enterprises have not persisted harsh influence as a consequence of the Ebola epidemic. The report examined a survey by the German-African Business Association (AV), which exposed that the hopes of businesses registered in the association were optimistic, although doing business in Africa is most often described as “risky.”

While 53 percent of Africa-based German businesses looked forward to stable growth, only 15 percent of them projected to reach a decline.

“Companies that have been in Africa for a long time are not scared of the epidemic, especially since out of the 54 countries in Africa, only three have been affected by Ebola,” Stefan Liebing, AV chairman said in the Deutsche Welle report.

The AV survey also noted that of Germany’s 600 Africa-based businesses that are listed with the association, 56 percent of them experienced unchanged business operation during the Ebola outbreak.

While Ebola hit Africa the hardest in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea offering a death toll of just over 8,000 - the majority of business operations by German enterprises take place in Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Angola, Deutsche Welle reported.

While one cannot exhaust the list of cars that have flooded the African market, it’s worth mentioning some of them such as Jaguar, Audi, Honda, Mitsubishi, Daihatsu, Opel, Isuzu, and Madza. The others are Suzuki, Hyundai, Chevrolet, Renault, Ford Motors, Tata Motors, General Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. All these brands are almost household names in Africa but how many have their manufacturing companies in Africa so as to provide employment to Africans?

Our vision is to achieve a completely carbon-neutral energy supply for the BMW group with this in mind, we set ourselves the goal of becoming a leader in the use of renewable energy by 2020. As a result of our local clean production initiatives, we have saved more than R60- million in energy overheads in the last five years at our Rosslyn plant and our Midrand head office.

MONDAY | JANUARY 12, 2015

traVeL&touRism 07

The Queen of Hill Stations

Ooty, dubbed as the ‘Queen on Hill Stations’, is the most widespread hill station in South India.

Capital to the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, it is located at a height of 7,350 ft. Nature has always been generous on this hill station located in the Blue Mountains. The area is remarkably blessed with tea and coffee plantations, and covered with conifers, eucalyptus, pines and wattle. The lanes could easily be mistaken for an English countryside. Ooty is a mixture of Indian and British cultures with Hindu temples

prevailing alongside beautiful parks and British style bungalows. The town excitingly labeled as ‘Snooty Ooty’, was established by the Britishers in early 19th century as the summer capital of the Madras government.

The town has a subtropical highland climate. In stark contrast of most of the southern part of India, Ooty has a pleasant climate throughout the year. The town always seems to be stuck in spring season, though the temperature could fall in the months of January and February. Maximum average temperature throughout the year

BASIC FACTSOfficial Name : Udhagamandalam State : Tamil NaduDistrict : The NilgirisElevation : 2,240 m (7,350 ft)Area : 36 sq. kmPopulation : 81,763Rainfall : 121 cmsLanguage : Tamil, Badaga

Botanical Garden Ooty Enticing tourists from all over the world, the garden was built in 1847 by Marquis of Teedale. It houses an exquisite collection of flowering trees and beautiful shrubs. One can also see a rare tree species of 20 million year old fossil tree, a monkey’s puzzle tree, enormous variety of flowering bushes and plants. Rare colored lilies are a common sight in the garden. It is a favourite destination for botany lovers.

Ooty Lake & Boat House A man-made lake formed in 1823-25 by tapping the streams flowing down Ooty valley. It was designed by John Sullivan, also the founder Ooty itself. The lake has since shrunk in size and accommodating a racecourse, bus stand and a mini garden.

Centenary Rose Park Located in the heart of the town, the garden is laid out on a stretch of 10 acres of land. The garden is gorgeously ornamented by rose tunnels, pergolas, bowers and rose creepers. The garden has the largest collection of roses in the country, with around 3600 varieties which can be found in the garden. Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department maintains the garden, and it also received the ‘Garden of Excellence’ by the World Federation of Rose Societies (WFRS) in 2006.

Doddabetta ParkLocated at a distance of 10 Kms from Ooty, it is the highest peak in the Nilgiri district. The word ‘Doddabetta’ literally means Big Mountain, the peak is located at the junction of Western and Eastern Ghats. One can have a magnificent panoramic view of landscape and the whole of the District and even beyond.

Kalhatty WaterfallsSituated in the Kalhatty Ghats (which are located at 2,000m above sea level), the picturesque waterfalls are a popular spot for picnics and treks. The height of the falls is 40m, and can only be seen during September to November.

Mudumalai Wildlife SanctuarySpread across an area of 32,155 hectares, the sanctuary is a mix of flat land, open grassland, swamp, and valleys. The sanctuary is situated at a height of 1000m. Situated in an ecological hotspot, one can find a wide variety of flora and fauna. Animals like bonnet, mouse deer, Indian muntjac, wild boar and flying squirrel are part of the wildlife present in Mudumalai.

remains between 17-20°C, and the average minimum temperature usually remains between 5-12°C. The town sees an annual rainfall of 121 cm. the best time to visit Ooty is from April to June, and September to November.

OOTY’S FOOD GUIDEOoty is food lover’s delight, the flawless residence to excite your taste buds. It is an ecstasy for chocolate lovers, walk into any bakery and you’ll walk away with varieties of chocolates ranging from dark bitter chocolate to

strawberry flavored chocolate and nutty fruit flavored chocolates. It is very difficult to resist the cakes, buns, cookies and tarts available in almost every bakery in the town. The fruit and nut chocolate is most popular throughout the town. With tea plantations all around the town, one can find tea stalls in every corner of Ooty. For a more delicate experience head to any tea plantation and enjoy a session of tea tasting. People who prefer wine can visit the local vineyards and experience the delights of wine tasting.

Ooty houses a number of tourist attractions, making it one of the favourite hill station in South India. It offers a phantasmagoria of visual delicacies.

touristattractions

OOTY

mONDAY | JANUARY 12, 2015

taLkiNGtecHnoLoGy08

In the 50 years of development the world over, there has been a tremendous increase

of urban population due to the inflow of the rural masses looking for work. The task of providing affordable housing to this influx presents new challenges to getting projects ready in record time using the conventional method of Brick and Mortar, because –• It is time consuming;• There is a shortage of skilled

workforce;• They produce a lot of Waste of

construction material due to unskilled handling;

• The delays causes costs escalations.Further conventional

construction methods put an enormous stress on the environment. These stresses are mainly:• Soil and agricultural land

degradation;

• Loss of forests and wild lands;• Air pollution and • Depletion of non- renewable

energy sources and minerals.Over the years it can be seen

that these stresses lead to climate changes and natural disasters. To minimize this stresses and to achieve sustainable developments, concepts of green building evolved since building construction activity accounts for major exploitation of natural resources that leads to environmental stresses.

Sahyadri Industries Ltd (SIL)

has come out with alternative sustainable building products which do away with the use of wood and conventional method of building components which are substitute to wood and energy intensive component like burnt

brick, concrete, sand, water etc. Sahyadri products can be used in the construction of cost effective houses under mass housing projects of the governments in developing countries.

Sahyadri housing systems (Sections and fibre cement boards) can be designed to build Eco-Homes in 2, 3 or more rooms apartments, its modular designed component system facilitating expansion from one to three or more rooms.

The fibre Cement boards are mainly cement bonded cellulose

ProvIdIng AFFordABle houSIng

SAHYADRI INDUSTRIES LTD. (An ISO 9001-2008 Certified Company)Contact: Mr. M. Satyanarayana, President (Mktg.): +91 9373022295, +91 9404965694Swastik House, 39-D, J.N. Road, Gultekdi, Pune 411 037, Maharashtra (India)Tel.: +91 20 2644 4625/ 26/ 27, Fax: +91 20 2644 4624E-mail: mastyanarayan@silworl.in, info@silworld.in, Website: www.silworld.in, www.ecopro.co.in

Sahyadri dreams of housing every family in the country

fibre boards. Cement acts as binder to the fibres which give them good tensil strength. The fire resistance properties of cement fibre boards are also very good.

This system produce specific components for buildings based on the design, includes designing and producing a uniform type of building or a group of building variants, which can be produced with a common assortments of component. Such building includes school, parking garage, gas station, low cost housing, shopping malls/complexes etc.

Where there is a high demand for houses, and availability of quality raw material and man-power required, use of prefabricated Sahyadri wall panels would facilitate timely and cost effective construction.

“Prefabricated modular designs bring speed, quality and efficiency into construction, and is an important and definitely an essential part in the future of the construction industry, not only in India, but all over the world,” comments Mr. M. Satyanarayan, President of SIL. “SIL is looking

forward to revolutionize the mass housing industries not only in India but Globaly.”

Sahyadri building products help construction in their innovative ways thus reduce construction costs without compromising on the quality of housing in scheduled time. To summarize, predesigned buildings manufactured in factory controlled environment using eco-friendly green materials will suit not only the India but the world over, because of its sustainability and economy it offers not only in costs but saving on time and other environmental issues, giving the world a better place to live in.

MONDAY | JANUARY 12, 2015

trysomethiNGNeW 09UPCOMING

The greatest tragedy in life is not death but life without purpose.

tHougHt oFtHe WeeK

IBEX INDIA 2015

IBEX INDIA, has been established as a unique and comprehensive platform for all stakeholders in the Indian Banking Industry to come together to understand, facilitate and encourage the growth of the industry. Such a platform gives technology vendors and solution providers an opportunity to reach out to their core critical audience from the industry under one roof while simultaneously enabling officials from all levels and profiles to compare, contrast and benchmark a plethora of new technology & equipment required across all banking and financial functions.

date: 15-17 January, 2015 Venue: Bandra Kurla complex, Mumbai, India

3rd Edition Maharashtra Economic Summit

Investment-friendly industrial policies, excellent infrastructure and a strong and productive human resource base have made it a favored destination for the manufacturing, export, distribution and financial service sectors. Furthermore, the State has focused on the development of industrial and social infrastructure. Maharashtra's economic growth can provide significant contribution in the development of the nation.

date: 16 January, 2015 Venue: Hotel Sahara Star, Mumbai.

7th Agricultural Summit

There is positive energy for growth erupting in the India and agriculture is not untouched from it. Agriculture in many states is growing over 10 percent since last decade or so, it give a strong indication that given the right policy environment for growth, Indian agriculture is capable of becoming growth engine of India economy. This growth will benefit farmers and consumers at a time when the world population keeps increasing and food prices across the globe are spiraling steeply.

date: 15 January, 2015 Venue: Hotel Shangri- La, New Delhi.

GEO India 2015 – Exhibitio

The GEO India exhibition is the largest showcase of oil and gas exploration technology and services in India, attracting NOCs, IOCs, major operating companies and new businesses looking to penetrate the South Asian market.

date: 12-14 January, 2015 Venue: The India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida, India

prepration Method1. Soak lentils in plenty of cold water

for at least 2 hours. Rinse & drain.

2. Brown onion, salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, parsley and clove.

3. Combine tomato sauce and 1 cup water with the stock cube, add to lentils mixture and stir well. Dilute peanut butter in remaining cup of water and add to mixture.

4. Add bicarb of soda & cook in a covered pan, over medium heat for 1 hour, or until lentils are soft. You may need to add a little extra water / stock.

5. Serve hot over the cooked rice.

Handy French1. Happy Holidays! Meilleurs vœux

2. Oh! That's good! Oh! C'est bien!

3. I like French. J'aime le français.

4. Happy New Year! Bonne année!

5. Bless you (when sneezing). A vos souhaits!

Winter Blues, Beyond Cold & Flu

South Africa has the most luxurious train in the world, The rovos rail (pride of Africa).

For most of us, winter is the staple ‘cold and flu season’. But apart from runny nose, series of sneezes and hacking cough, several other disease conditions flare up in the pretext of cold weather. Have a look at them and find ways to keep the exacerbations away.

The 9th OIFC Market Place inaugurated by Smt Sushma Swaraj, Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs, Overseas Indian Affairs and Smt. Anandiben Patel Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujaratat during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2015 at Gandhinagar.

pICTURE OF THE wEEk

ARTHRITISDip in temperature triggers arthritis for most people. Being indoors most of the times, less body movement, body circulating less blood to limbs in order to conserve warm blood around the heart and swelling in muscles are all good enough reasons for stiff and painful joints.Resolution – Keep yourself moving! Don’t stay stagnant at one place for a long time. Even while sitting, do rotational exercises for knee, ankle, wrist, elbow and shoulder joints. Keep yourself warm with appropriate winter wear. Apply hot fomentation to joints.

pSORIASIS & ECzEMAAs temperature drops, room heaters come out making the air around you go down on moisture. Now, this dry air strips the thin layer of oil that traps moisture in the skin, flaring itchy conditions like eczema and psoriasis.Resolution – Keep the shower as brief as possible and use ‘lukewarm’, not HOT water. Switch to moisture-rich, glycerine based soaps. Apply a good amount of moisturizer on the body while the skin is still slightly damp after bathing. If you cannot avoid heavy woollens due to extreme winter, wear any loose cotton clothing to avoid direct contact of wool with the skin to avoid irritation.

Use a humidifier to increase moisture levels in the home. Try to keep stress under control as stress is one of the major known triggers for psoriasis and eczema.

RESpIRATORY dISEASESWinter could be a difficult time for people with respiratory diseases especially like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) flare-ups. COPD symptoms such as shortness of breath and lingering coughs become pronounced in cold weather. Resolution – Wearing enough warm clothes goes without saying to keep away from chilli winds. Wrapping a scarf around face when going out is a good idea so that you don’t have to breathe in the cold air. If possible stay away from crowds or going to crowded places to avoid coming in contact with all sorts of bacteria and viruses. Get vaccinated against influenza (flu) and pneumonia can prove beneficial for people with lung diseases like asthma and COPD.

Can you complete these 5-letter words?1. * E * E L

2. B * D

3. S * I * L

4. S W A * *

5. F O *

6. * E R * Y

7. A * U R *

8. * U * D Y

9. * U O * E

10. * E * A * E

11. E D * *

12. S C * R * Y

13. L * P

14. * * L L S

1. JEWEL 2. BAD 3. SKILL 4. SWAPS5. FOx 6. FERRY 7. AzURE 8. BUDDY9. qUOTE 10. MENACE 11. EDGY 12. SCURVY13. LOP 14. HILLS

ANSwERS

ingredients » 8 ounces green lentils » 3 tablespoons oil » 1 large onion, chopped » 1/2 teaspoon salt » 1/8 teaspoon black pepper » 1/8 teaspoon thyme » 3 garlic cloves, minced » 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped » 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves » 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce » 2 1/2 cups water » 1 vegetable stock cube » 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter » 1/8 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda » cooked rice, to serve

HEART dISEASESHospitals report increased number of heart disease cases during winters. Due to cold, the arteries become constricted and blood’s viscosity increases making it much thicker. The heart has to put in more effort to pump the blood, which makes the heart to stress out leading to a rise in heart attacks and other coronary artery diseases during winter season. It could be more risky for people who do not have any inkling about their pre-existing heart conditions.Resolution - People, especially diabetic patients, should avoid going for a walk in the morning on extremely chilly days. Too much alcohol intake during winter can also cause atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat also called arrhythmia) and people tend to suffer from palpitations, fainting, chest pain or even congestive heart failure. Do not over burden yourself with excessive exercise as your New Year resolution. Go slow, remain steady!

Vegetarian Kansiyé“Traditional Guinean stew”

aFRiCan Cuisine

mONDAY | JANUARY 12, 2015

thefasHionistas10

AFRIMA 2014 unites Africa

Hitz FM gives listeners a perfect party to start 2015

4x4, VVIP, MizVee, Stonebwoy, Chris and others rock 020 Live

DKB wins 2014 Comedian of the year twice

Ghanaian Movie Producer Goes International

Currently the reigning king of GHComedy, DKB has received two awards for his outstanding performances last year as the 2014 Viasat Jigwe Awards Comedian and E-Talk Showbiz Honours, Comedian of 2014.

According to the #OMT activist, he feels great and awesomely charged up to reach the peak of the comedy ladder, “I feel really charged up to work harder with the reception GHComedy has received to avoid any unforeseen disappoint.”

“It is overwhelming how Ghanaians have come to accepted, believe and invested their trust in me, as well as the enthusing breakthrough of thee Comedy industry,” he added. Positively listing his success in the just ended year, DKB said, “Yes I was gracefully able to achieve my aspirations in the course of the year making sure I excelled on every platform I was oppor tune to stage including ‘December2Remember’, ‘KSM @ 58' show, ‘Night of Laughs’, ‘2014 Ghana Movie Awards’, and my DKBLive Tour among other shows. He fur ther appreciated companies which for their believe in his works sponsored him throughout projects he embarked on.

“Companies including Ramani Marketing (distributors of DJ Cola, DJ Energy Drinks), Lele Food Products for believing in me to sponsor my #DKBLIVE Tour.

Y-FM, Koko King, Chapters Couture, Asta adver tising, Digital Resolution Press and every other person or entity that has contributed to the success of my works and #GHComedy,” he outlined.

Modern Ghana

African movie productions have taken a new turn with the continent about to experience quality productions to soothe the anger of many viewers. Africans in general who have lost taste for African movie productions due to bad audio-visual quality and sometimes unpardonable subtitle errors.

Africa woke up to see the “redeemer” of its movie industry, Abbeam Productions, which is not only a local production company but also an international one headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Abbeam Productions at the just-ended Ghana Movies Awards won two awards with their movie "Bismark the Joke" which the lead actor Bismark Odoi known in showbiz circles as Bismark the Joke won an award and the movie also awarded for the best picture and sound quality.

The production house will this year release another entertaining, mind-boggling movie which features renowned international movies stars and Ghanaian comedy actors Bismark the Joke and Kwaku Manu.

“Last Word” which is the title of the new production will be premiered soon in Ghana and across Africa.

"All credit goes to God who has made this possible and to the Abbeam Productions team for these hard earned achievements. Africa should now brace up for a new phase in the movie industry. We have a long way to go but we believe that God will surely lead us to huge successes than this", Chief Executive Officer of Abbeam Productions, Prophet Abbeam Danso stated.

Modern Ghana

Ghana's number one entertainment station, Hitz 103.9 FM last Thursday, January 1 stormed Alisa Hotel to treat its listeners to a perfect party to jump start 2015.

The event, 'Shandy Pool Party', gave the numerous listeners of the station, which has chalked a lot of successes in 2015, an opportunity to party and have fun with some of their favourite on-air personalities.

Apart from the swimming and dancing competitions, the hundreds of patrons who thronged the venue were treated to exciting performances.

Notable among the acts were

each group took turns to perform award-winning hip-life tunes interlaced with Twi and English rap. The groups stole the night with their custom and peculiar dance moves.

Musical sensation, Stonebwoy raised the image of dancehall on the night with his performance of his hit songs like 'Pull Up' and 'Baafira'. His performance saw the audience taking over each time he raised a new song. Chief Marketing Officer of Vodafone, Agnes Emefa Essah said “020Live has always been about our subscribers as we try to satisfy their love for music at a live event.”

The live concert is also aimed at

honouring Vodafone X customers – the movement that was launched earlier this year targeted at young subscribers between ages 18 and 24 as well as the young at heart.

Over the years 020Live has given the opportunity to some good Ghanaian artistes to perform on the same stage with other African and global music stars like P-Square, D'Banj, Trey Songz and Ludacris.

Last year, 020Live was held at the beach front of the Labadi Beach Hotel. It was a party with fun amidst drinks that saw performances from top artistes and DJs from Ghana and beyond.

Modern Ghana

4X4, VVIP, MzVee, Stonebwoy, Chris of Vodafone Icons fame and other Ghanaian musicians thrilled hundreds of Vodafone's fans at this year's much anticipated 020Live concert to mark the one-year anniversary of Red.

The Polo Gardens in Accra hosted over 4000 of Vodafone's cherished customers who thronged the stage when their favourite artist mounted the stage to perform. Themed “Red is One”, the evening begun with a back to back jockeying of hit songs by Ghana's own DJ Black and DJ Varosky.

Dancehall songstress and only female on the bill, MzVee was in her element to render powerful-voice and stage performances that got the crowd cheering and dancing. She performed her hit songs like 'Borkor Borkor' among others. With the classiness of Vodafone X subscribers in mind, Winner of the 2014 edition of Vodafone Icons, Chris took over the stage to serve his audience nice songs that suits the young and young at heart.

The enthusiastic crowd also cheered as 4x4 and VVIP with Reggie Rocktone were called to the stage.

The whole area went agog as

Flow Kingstone, Galaxy, Danso Abeam, Kesse, Wutah Kobby, Obibini, Kumi Guitar, and Wutah Afriyie. The party would not have been complete without good music from some of Hitz FM's finest DJs including DJ Awanna, Andy Dosty, DJ Saviola, Gatuso and DJ Rocky.

Manning the microphone to make sure the party went smooth were presenters Gatuso, Kwame Bee and Ibrahim Ben Brako.

The 'Shandy Pool Party' was sponsored'by Club Shandy (Bosoe) and powered by Hitz FM, Slip Entertainment and Party People.

Modern Ghana

The 2014 All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, brought together some of the best talents from the five regions of the continent to the 2014 main award ceremony held on Saturday, December 27, at the Grand Ballroom, Oriental Hotel, Lagos Nigeria.

Starting from the red carpet to the stage embellishments, Africa’s enduring cultural heritage and creativity were on display at the highly-anticipated awards ceremony that also welcomed guests which included African Union Commission, AUC, officials, government officials from ministries of culture, ministries of trade and industry and captains of industry across Africa.

The ceremony, produced by PRM Africa, a Lagos-based PR, Brand Communication and Event Production Agency, was conceptualized around African cultural themes ranging from the rich Egyptian heritage of the Pharaoh era to the earthy depth of the artistically intricate Benin Kingdom, the folklore and oratory skills of the West Africans and the fierce power of the Zulu Kingdom.

AFRIMA 2014 opened with a dramatic appearance on stage of the 11 feet high ‘Adagbe’ drum; arguably the world’s tallest drum -rhythmically beaten by drummers on stilts while fire breathers brought a fiery glow to the performance. The capacity audience was further awed by the presence of veteran Nigerian culturist and actor, Pa Peter Fatomilola who emerged on stage to chant a litany of prayers and proverbs in Yoruba language.

The event’s 14 ushers wore the Benin queen and Egyptian queen attires –seven apiece, while the 16-man strong security team wore the traditional regalia of Zulu warriors of South Africa to man the event venue and the red carpet area where guests were treated to assorted drinks, finger foods, photo shoots and interview sessions.

Other sizzling performances came from top African performing artistes such as Dear Zim from Zimbabwe; Wiyaala from Ghana; Radio and Weasel from Uganda; Bez, TemiDollface, Niyola, Timi Dakolo, Oritsefemi, Davido all from Nigeria among others.

Modern Ghana

MONDAY | JANUARY 12, 2015

sPorts2WatCh 11

Bicycles are a common means of transport in rural areas. But out of this common

practice, cycling as sport was born and it has quickly become one of the most popular sports in the country.

The launch of the Africa Rising Cycling Centre (ARCC) in March, a three-acre compound in Musanze with 18 buildings became the home of Team Rwanda accommodating riders for training camps, staff and volunteers.

Notably, Team Rwanda got a spacious home where they can train without any destruction, where the riders not only perfect their cycling but also learn English in a comfortable environment.

With a state-of-the-art garage, expert mechanics like American Jamie Bissell and Jean de Dieu ‘Rafiki’ Uwimana have been an integral part of Team Rwanda’s success in 2014. The previous space limited development, hosting and training other international teams. On top of fulfilling all the aforementioned, ARCC has laid the foundation of a sustainable financial support system through bicycle tourism. Tourists can now hire bikes at an affordable fee of $75 with a guide.

In May, Rwanda was represented by two girls and four boys at the African Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana and consequently, the girls competed at the second edition of the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China

Cycling set the bar so high in 2014

becoming the first Rwandans to compete at the biggest international youth multi-sport event.

Last year’s best young rider Jean Bosco Nsengimana and Stage 2 winner Valens Ndayisenga at the Tour du Rwanda were invited to train at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland.

Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, the first Rwandan to win a stage at the gruesome La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in Gabon in January, was racing in France for Vendee U, the feeder team for Europcar. For the second time, Rwanda was represented at the quadrennial Commonwealth Games and in Glasgow, Scotland in August, Rwanda sent four riders including Adrien Niyonshuti, Janvier Hadi, Ndayisenga, Uwizeyimana, Gasore Hategeka and Nsengimana. Hadi

Uwizeyimana wins Goma OpenMathew Uwizeyimana won the 2014 Goma Tennis Open after defeating Burundian Sayid Nkurunziza in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 in the final played on Tuesday in Goma, DR Congo.

“I am so excited about this victory,” he said, adding that, “We have been participating in this tournament every year since its inauguration in 2010 but without much success as the Congolese have been dominating it, so to win it this year means a lot to me.”

The tournament which started on December 26, attracted three countries including Rwanda, Burundi and Congo. Rwanda was represented by three players—Uwizeyimana, Etienne Niyigena and Anatole Bizimana.

Rwanda’s number one tennis player, Jean Claude Gasigwa pulled out of the tournament on the very last hour due to personal reasons. Bizimana and Niyigena both lost in the first round and semi-finals respectively. On his way to the final, Uwizeyimana defeated Burundian, Michael Ngarukiye in the first round and last year’s champion Boney Kasusule in the semi-finals.

Uwizeyimana, who ranked third in Rwanda, walked away with Rwf350, 000 in cash prize on top of the trophy. It is the second title of the year for the 25-year-old, who also won the Liberation tournament in July.

New Times

finished 19th while Ndayisenga was 23rd in the individual time trial. For the first time in the history of Rwandan cycling, three Rwandan riders qualified for the UCI U-23 World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain.

Ndayisenga, Nsengimana and Uwizeyimana who had been in Europe for several months, competed at this prestigious event carrying the Rwandan flag high.

In September, Janvier Hadi was invited as a guest rider for Garneau Quebecor at the Tour of Alberta and won the Most Aggressive Rider on Stage 4, while working in a breakaway for the majority of the stage. In terms of sponsorship, Team Rwanda signed a sponsorship deal with Turkish Airlines as the official carrier of Team Rwanda. Voted Europe’s best airline, Turkish Airlines offered

a 40% discount on air travel and free baggage for the team’s luggage which reduces a remarkable load off their budget.

Team Rwanda spends a huge amount of money on travel and training camps are the biggest expenses for the team so this partnership came in handy and this will be very important this year as the riders will be eyeing participation in several elite competitions in Africa and overseas. To cap a successful year, the Tour du Rwanda left behind memories that will forever be celebrated by the entire country and well wishers of Rwandan cycling across the world.

Last year’s event was the sixth edition of the 2.2 UCI sanctioned event and just like in 2013, Hadi won the prologue and Ndayisenga won Stage 2, from his hometown Rwamagana to Team Rwanda’s hometown Musanze.

Joseph Biziyaremye, the first Rwandan to win a stage of the Tour du Rwanda back in 2011, won Stage 6 and Nsengimana finished second in the General Classification. For the first time since the Tour du Rwanda made its inception on the UCI Africa calendar, a Rwandan had the yellow jersey throughout the eight-day grueling competition that attracted 14 countries including Belgium, Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Germany, Morocco, South Africa and three Rwandan sides – Karisimbi, Muhabura and Akagera.

New Times

mONDAY | JANUARY 12, 2015

eNCouNteR WitH eDitor12

Owner / Publisher / Editor: Mr. Kirit Sobti from 3rd Floor, Plot No. 3, Block PSP-IV, Service Centre Opp. Sector-11 (Extn.), Rohini, Delhi-85Printed at LIPEE SCAN PVT. LTD. 89 DSIDC SHED Okhala Phase 1, New Delhi

Thank you for making time to talk to us. Can you first of all tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became the CEO of GIPC?

My name is Mrs. Mawuena Trebarh. I have over 15 years’ experience with a stellar career in the corporate environment in Ghana. I have been recognized through a number of national awards for having established benchmarks for excellence in corporate affairs, investor relations management, stakeholder and reputation management in critical sectors of the economy specifically mining and telecommunications.

What is GIPC and what is her mandate?The Ghana Investment Promotion

Centre (GIPC) is a government agency responsible under the Act of the Ghanaian Parliament (ACT 865) 2013; to encourage and promote investments in Ghana, to provide for the creation of an attractive incentive framework and a transparent, predictable and facilitating environment for investment in Ghana and other related matters.

As a government agency that provides professional service and support for both local and foreign investors, can you tell us how you go about in accomplishing this task?

The GIPC through our operations, create an enhanced, transparent and

responsive environment for investment and the development of the Ghanaian economy through investments. We also encourage, promote and facilitate investment in all sectors of the Ghanaian economy.

Can you tell us some of the resources and support services GIPC provides for investors?

Our resource and support services include but the following; Hand holding services (From

Registration through to Business set-up)

After care Services Land bank Services and Research and Investment Department

Services (e.g. Profiling Banbkable Local Projects for Foreign Investment)

Are there incentives GIPC offers investors and what are they?

The GIPC recommends investors for incentives which are approved by the Ministry of Finance. Some of these incentives include;a. Tax holidays for specific sectorsb. Locational incentives (Tax rebates)c. Immigration quotas (Work and

Resident Permits) andd. Import duty exemptions on Industrial

Plant, Machinery and Equipment.

What role does GIPC play for investors to be guaranteed safety and

maximizing of profit in Ghana?Ghana is a safe investment

destination. The GIPC Act 2013 guards investors against expropriation of private investments provided for under law and are buttressed by the Ghanaian Constitution. Some of which include;1. Free transferability of capital, profits

and dividends2. Insurance against non-commercial

risk; Ghana is signatory to the World Banks’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)

3. Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs); to rationalize tax obligations of investors in order to prevent double taxation. (These have been signed and ratified with several countries).

How favourable are investments in Ghana and how can potential investors take advantage of them?

Ghana can boast of having one of the best locations on the African continent to do business. Conditions present include; Political stability, a growing economy, increasing consumer demand and accessibility to wider West African markets and we are by these opportunities inviting potential investor from all over the world including Ghanaians in the diaspora.

In which areas of the Ghanaian economy do you see significant opportunities for investment?

All sectors of the Ghanaian economy appear viable, however some of our priority sectors include;i. Manufacturingii. Agriculture and Agro-processingiii. Energyiv. Oil and Gas andv. Services

What is the outlook for foreign direct investment in Ghana?

We anticipate continues increase in FDI’s over the medium to long term, driven by our consistently stable political environment and abundance of opportunities for the foreign investor.

What are some of your challenges as CEO of GIPC?

I don’t really use the word challenges; I see challenges as rather as opportunity. I think the challenge that I have is the challenge to project the right image of Ghana, to create the right experiences for the investor both domestic and international so that they feel that this is the best place to invest and finally ensure that there are tangible results. The challenge also is to coordinate with all the other institutions because it’s not GIPC alone that must create that image, the experience and the result but, taking the challenge and turning it into an opportunity.

Interviewed by Francis L. Sackitey, Accra Ghana

"One of the best locations on the African continent to do business"

The West African country Ghana is without doubt a country full of investment opportunities. But what is more attractive about Ghana is the system the Ghanaian government has put in place to not only attract both local and foreign investment but to also, help potential investors to easily navigate their way in getting their companies registered and also to operate appropriately. By an act of parliament, the Ghanaian government has established the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), to promote and encourage investment in Ghana. Indo Africa Times caught up with the affable CEO of GIPC Mrs. Mawuena Adzo Trebarh, the sister of BBC’s late Komla Dumor of Focus on Africa fame, to ask her about herself and her role in attracting foreign investment into the country.

Mrs. Mawuena Adzo trebarhCEO of Ghana Investment Promotion Center,Ghana

MONDAY | JANUARY 12, 2015