America to build leadership centre in Ghana

Ghana will become home to one of four regional leadership centres to be built by the USA in Africa.
The other centres will be located in Kenya,Senegal and South Africa.
Beginning in 2015, these Centers will improve the availability and quality of leadership training programs and professional development opportunities for young African leaders.
Each will be run as a public-private partnership, capitalizing on the energy and dynamism of the private sector, the knowledge of African and American institutions, and the programmatic and educational resources of the U.S. Government.
The Centers will focus on engaging young leaders from a wide range of organizations and backgrounds and with a diversity of experiences.
President Barack Obama made the announcement when he met with 500 young African leaders under the YALI program in Washington DC.
The Center in Ghana will be supported by a consortium of civil and private sector organizations including Africa 2.0, Africa Capacity Building Foundation, Ghana Private Enterprise Federation and the Center for Policy Analysis, led by the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.
The Regional Leadership Centers will provide quality Leadership training centres that will provide both long and short courses on leadership and issues across multiple sectors.
The centres will also provide entrepreneurship support services, including mentoring, technology, and access to capital.
They will also offer young leaders the opportunity to connect with each other, American professionals, and experts from across the region.
The U.S. Government together with a number of organizations will establish and deliver high quality training, support, and networking through the Centers.
In collaboration with USAID, host institutions in Africa will provide instruction and collaboration space, expert training, and coursework for the Centers.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide $38 million for the creation of and programs in the Regional Leadership Centers. American and African companies and foundations will provide principal capital for the startup costs, equipment, and technology for the Centers.
The MasterCard Foundation will provide financial support over five years to develop the Centers.
With financial and in-kind contributions from Microsoft, Dow Chemical Company, Intel Corporation, and Cisco Systems, the U.S. Government will be able to establish and maintain the Centers, and provide business software and hardware, mentoring, and information technology training through them.
With in-kind support from Proctor & Gamble, General Electric, Atlas Mara, and McKinsey & Company, the U.S. and its partners will also be able to provide leadership training, technical support, and access to capital for young entrepreneurs.
By: Vivian Kai Mensah/citifmonline/Ghana/Washington