Sierra Leone: Freetown City Council
The new City Hall Complex consists of conference rooms, a 460 seater multifunctional activities conference hall with the latest technology, an underground power station of two 800KVA Generators, and a car park for over 100 vehicles.
Transform Freetown
Sierra Leone: Freetown City Council on 6th November 2020 hosted the Opening Ceremony for the new City Hall Complex and Hon. Tamba Lamina, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, delivered the keynote address.
Present at the Opening Ceremony was the Ambassador of South Korea to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Sierra Leone, Major General Lee In-Tae and his delegation; the Deputy Minister of Finance, Hon Patricia Laverly, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Solomon Jamiru; Esq. Also present were Dr. Kaifala Marah, former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ebun Strasser-King, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, members of the diplomatic community, Councillors and staff of Freetown City Council.
The 15 stories New City Hall is the administrative complex for Freetown City Council, whose primary purpose will be to serve as the Office of the Mayor and the Council’s Administration - a modern building in the heart of the City’s Central Business District. When all the contractual obligations finalized, the building expected officially hand over to the Freetown City Council administration.
The facilities include:
A rooftop garden, sky-lounge restaurant, kitchen, and ten hotel rooms
Three floors of ultra-modern office space, of approximately 1000 square meters each
A library, computer laboratory, and open exhibition area
Multi-story car park
An auditorium for 460 people with cinema seating, fully-fitted stage, and audio-visual equipment
The New City Hall will provide much-needed space for Freetown City Council to provide services and engage with residents as the Council implements its Transform Freetown Agenda. The council plan to lease out parts of the complex.
The official handing over of the building to the Council Administration is at the end of November, and moving in before December, 31st 2020.
The New City Council: The new City Hall Complex consists of conference rooms, a 460 seater multifunctional activities conference hall with the latest technology, an underground power station of two 800KVA Generators, and a car park for over 100 vehicles.
Best Custom Executive Education Provider in Africa
The Financial Times (FT) has ranked Lagos Business School’s Custom Executive Education number one (#1) in Africa and among the top 50 in the world.
The 14th consecutive year the School is featuring on the list.
Financial Times Ranks Lagos Business School
The Financial Times (FT) has ranked Lagos Business School’s Custom Executive Education number one (#1) in Africa and among the top 50 in the world.
The 14th consecutive year the School is featuring on the list.
The combined ranking evaluates the performance of the top 50 business schools across the world in the areas of Open Enrolment, and Custom Executive Education puts Lagos Business School (LBS) in the 47th position.
On the Custom ranking table, LBS is the 1st in Africa. It holds the 41st spot globally, moving seven places up from its 48th position in 2019. In Open Enrolment, LBS ranks among top business schools like the University of Oxford: Said and IESE Business School.
LBS Dean, Professor Enase Okonedo said, 'we are incredibly proud to be recognized by the Financial Times of London, for the 14th year in a row. Lagos Business School actively seeks and remain conscious of the unique needs of organizations and their executives.' This ranking comes at a time when the world is witnessing an unprecedented pandemic challenge and its attendant fallout. For us at LBS, it presents another opportunity to help business leaders and managers navigate this challenge; this recognition by FT validates our ability to deliver, she added.
Lagos Business School attracts hundreds of participants to its open enrolment and custom programs annually. Its programs designed to meet the needs of diverse participants and in line with the rapid changes in Africa’s business environment.
Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
Government. to convert National ID numbers to Tax ID numbers by end of the year. Dr. Bawumia said this at the launch of the Absa Bank Ghana Limited on Monday, February 10, in Accra.
By Theo Edwards: Source: GhanaWeb
Govt. to convert National ID numbers to Tax ID numbers by end of the year
By Theo Edwards: Source: GhanaWeb
Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia says government will by the end of this year, convert all National Identification Numbers to Tax Identification Numbers, to increase the taxpaying population.
According to him, the move expected to increase the tax population by some already existing 2 million registered taxpayers to 16 million registered taxpayers by the end of this year.
Govt. to convert National ID numbers to Tax ID numbers by end of the year –Vice President of Ghana
Currently, less than 2 million people registered to pay taxes. By the end of this year, we will start converting all the National Identification Numbers into Tax Identification Numbers, which means we will increase the number of people registered for taxes up from about 2 million to close to 16 million in one year.
Lending rates often high partly because of the high information problems in establishing identity, verifying income sources, and ownership problems. These have to change if we’re aspiring to be a middle-income country. We have embarked on leveraging on technology to overcome many of our developmental problems; and, to formalize this informal economy, this is what digitization going to allow us to do in bringing people into the tax net, he added.
Dr. Bawumia said this at the launch of the Absa Bank Ghana Limited on Monday, February 10, in Accra. The Vice President also disclosed that the Ministry of Finance in the next few months will launch a portal for the delivery of all government services digitally. The portal dubbed; ‘Ghana.Gov’ platform will strive for the efficiency of the public sector, provide easy access and convenience for citizens, and curb revenue linkages.
UK-Africa Investment Summit
The British Prime Minister, in his opening address, called for an increased renewed partnership between the UK and Africa. He referred to Africa as a booming continent with staggering levels of growth. Prime Minister Johnson said, “look around the world today, and you will swiftly see that the UK is not only the obvious partner of choice, we’re also very much the partner of today, of tomorrow, and decades to come.”
British Prime Minister Calls For Bigger Investments In Africa
This year's UK-Africa Investment Summit, which started Monday 20th January 2020, is a first of its kind hosted by Britain's newly elected government. The opening ceremony witnessed by dignitaries and delegates from 16 African countries includes British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, and Prince Harry, among others.
Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, UK; several African presidents
The British Prime Minister, in his opening address, called for an increased renewed partnership between the UK and Africa. He referred to Africa as a booming continent with staggering levels of growth. Prime Minister Johnson said, "look around the world today, and you will swiftly see that the UK is not only the obvious partner of choice, we're also very much the partner of today, of tomorrow, and decades to come."
African Development Bank President, Akinwumi Adesina made a public announcement at the gathering of a new $80 million World Bank, and DFID infrastructure financing partnership. According to Adesina, the continent's $68-$108 billion infrastructure investment gap per year is massive, but it depends on how one looks at it. The 'risks' in Africa exaggerated. It is lower than in Latin America. Yet funds are not channeled into Africa. There are $8 trillion of assets under management in London, but only 1 percent invested in Africa.
A press release issued by the African Development Bank noted that the Bank President urged investors to look to Africa and recalled the achievements of the Africa Investment Forum ...a game-changing initiative led by the African Development Bank, and key partners, to accelerate investment in the continent.
The unique multi-sector platform designed to advance bank deals to financial closure. At the 2019 Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa, deals valued $40.1 billion secured investment interest.
President Kenyatta rang the opening bell at the London Stock Exchange (LSE) to mark the launch of Kenya's first green bond at the LSE. Emphasized innovative sustainable investments in energy infrastructure. We all must think out of the box in terms of energy to ensure we produce more green energy. 'This first-ever sovereign green bond of $41.45 million will be used to build environmentally-friendly student accommodation in Kenya.'
The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo, of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Cheikh el Ghazouani, African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina, and Secretary of State for International Development, MP Alok Sharma, addressed a plenary panel discussion on "Sustainable Finance and Infrastructure' Unlocking the City of London and UK financial services for growth in Africa.
About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) (https://www.AfDB.org/) is Africa's premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hosted a reception for the UK-African Investment Summit on behalf of The Queen.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 20, 2020: Photo by Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images
(Back row/left) Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs Tunisia, Sabri Bachtobji, Minister of Economy and Industry for Mauritius Sheikh El Kebir Moulaye Taher, Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia Demeke Mekonen Hassen, Minister of State for Economic Development in Angola Manuel Nunes Junior, Minister of Finance in Algeria Abderrahmane Raouya, President of World Bank David R Malpass, UN Economic Commission for Africa Executive Secretary Vera Songwe, IMF Director African Department Abebe Aemro Selassie, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development President Suma Chakrabati, African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, African Development Bank President Akinwumi Ayodesji Adesina,
(Middle row/left) President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio, President of Senegal Macky Sall, President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, Foreign Minister of Nigeria Geoffrey Onyeama, President of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi, Prime Minister of Morocco Saad Dine El Otmani, Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, President of Malawi Peter Mutharika, President of Kenya Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, South Africa Foreign Minister Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor,
(Front row/left) President of Guinea Alpha Conde, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, Princess Anne, Princess Royal, President of Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisekedi Tshilombo and President of Cote d'Ivoire Alassane Ouattara pose for a group photograph during a reception to mark the UK-Africa Investment Summit at Buckingham Palace on January 20, 2020, in London, England.
Banking, Real Estate & Technology, Headquartered in Rwanda
Mara’s technology ventures capitalizes on the rapidly growing smartphone and internet markets creating a suite of platforms that are tailored locally.
Why Africa? “The Lion Awakes: Adventures in Africa’s Economic Miracle” by Ashish J. Thakkar is the true story of today’s Africa, one often overshadowed by the dire headlines. Traveling from his ancestral home in Uganda, East Africa, to the booming economy and (if chaotic) new democracies of West Africa, and down to the “Silicon Savannahs” of Kenya and Rwanda, Ashish J. Thakkar shows us an Africa that few Westerners are aware exists.
Mara Group & Mara Foundation
Africa Reach – An African company with investments and operations in 25 countries across the continent
Established in 1996, Mara has grown from a small computer hardware trading firm in East Africa to a multi-sector group with investments and operations spanning 25 African countries and 3 continents.
Why Africa? “The Lion Awakes: Adventures in Africa’s Economic Miracle” by Ashish J. Thakkar is the true story of today’s Africa, one often overshadowed by the dire headlines. Traveling from his ancestral home in Uganda, East Africa, to the booming economy and (if chaotic) new democracies of West Africa, and down to the “Silicon Savannahs” of Kenya and Rwanda, Ashish J. Thakkar shows us an Africa that few Westerners are aware exists.
Mara’s technology ventures capitalizes on the rapidly growing smartphone and internet markets creating a suite of platforms that are tailored locally.
“The rise of the African Middle Class is expected to fuel consumption growth. This will provide a considerable opportunity to invest and meet the burgeoning demand. McKinsey projects that, by the year 2030, the top 18 cities in sub-Saharan Africa will have a combined spending power of $1.3 trillion. Africa’s retail banking sector is projected to grow 40 percent by 2020” ~The Realities of Africa. Learn More.