SADA’s 2015 Business and Investment Forum underway in Tamale

About 120 local and international exhibitors are participating in a five-day Business and Investment Forum spearheaded by the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) in collaboration with the Ghana Institution of Engineers.

It is on the theme, “Engineering opportunities and shared prosperity in the Savannah Region of Ghana.”

As the maiden edition ongoing at the Tamale Ultra Modern Sports Stadium, the exhibitors including major agri-business input suppliers, Zoomlion, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, District Assemblies within the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone have mounted their stands.

The participants will take advantage of the event to showcase their investment and technical potentials.

They will also have the opportunity to dialogue, network and promote business and investment opportunities required to boost the accelerated development of the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone.

Youth Forum
The event began with a youth forum alongside the Engineering Students Calabash and the Women in Engineering discussion sessions.

The youth forum brought together students, youth groups, political party representatives and civil society organizations from the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone.

They brainstormed and proffered constructive suggestions towards rebranding and making SADA regain investors’ confidence.

The participants urged the media to be on the path of damage repairs by positively highlighting SADA’s achievements.

All the resource persons challenged the youth to develop the “Can do spirit” by exhibiting the highest pedigree of patriotism in their respective localities.

It is expected that SADA’s management will deepen their cooperation with the youth and by extension constitute a youth committee to tap their expertise.

Ghana Institution of Engineers discussion sessions
At the Engineering Students Calabash discussion session, there was competition between students from the Regional Maritime University (RMU), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Tamale, Accra and Kumasi Polytechnics.

The students displayed their knowledge on topics including Energy utilization of Biogas and its economic and environmental impact on society (a commercial reality), Concepts to prevent fire outbreaks and what should be done in future with emphasis on the Kumasi Central Market, Solar distribution plant to provide affordable water, Shea butter production and its prospects in the Upper East Region, Kasena-Nankana West (Chiana Katui) and Enhancement of California Bearing Ratio of flexible Road Pavement layers using recycled pure water rubber (plastic waste) as Geogrid.

In his opening remarks, President of the Ghana Institution of Engineers, Ing. Magnus L. Quarshie who doubles at the Chief Executive Officer of Delin Consult said the role of Engineers in building a successful nation could not be underestimated.

He thus admonished government to sponsor engineering students to acquire higher academic laurels.

Ing. Quarshie encouraged the participants to be innovative and discover themselves regardless of their geographical locations.

He stressed the need for engineering students to think outside the box and offer useful ideas to help build the nation.
He reiterated the Ghana Institution of Engineers agenda to recruit and train more youth to become great Engineers.

Day Two
President John Dramani Mahama will on Wednesday March 25, officially open the forum and superintend over a high level dialogue session.

Also, there will be a special session which will focus on agriculture, climate change and food security to be facilitated by JAK Foundation.

Other activities lined up for the event include business to business meetings, exhibitions and investment opportunities which will be climaxed with a grand durbar of chiefs and a variety of cultural entertainment.

Globally acclaimed high profile speakers on the bill include, Victor Koh from Singapore, Dr. Ken Kwaku, formally of Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency of the World Bank Group and senior Advisor to President Mkapa of Tanzania, Charles Abugri, Chief Executive Officer of SADA and Dr. George Donor, Vice President of ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development.

–

By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana