The award was presented at the maiden UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards Ceremony in Accra on Saturday, 2^nd December 2017.

H.E Iain Walker, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, who presented the award to the IEA’s Executive Director, Jean Mensa, said the award was to recognize the IEA for its contribution to improving the enterprise and entrepreneurship landscape in the region.

Other awardees on the night were Unilever Ghana, Vodafone Ghana, and Barclays Bank.

The IEA, founded in 1989, is recognized for its significant contribution to shaping and influencing public policy in Ghana and the sub-region, using evidence-based research and advocacy.

Its main objective is to broaden the debate on public policy, engender private sector-led economic growth and strengthen the pillars of democracy with its ultimate mission being to promote good governance, democracy and a free market economy in Ghana, and Africa as a whole.

The Institute believes that the creation of an environment in which economic, social and political and legal institutions function openly and freely, is the key to attainment of sustainable economic growth and human development.

IEA is known for organizing many of Ghana’s presidential debates that have taken place ahead of major presidential and parliamentary elections.

Its work in over the past years has resulted in reforms including;

• The Serious Fraud Office Act, 1993 (Act 466)
• Repeal of the Criminal Libel and Sedition Laws, 2001
• The Whistleblower Act, 2006 ( Act 720)
• The Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845)

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post IEA recognized as best think-tank in Ghana appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The organization is convinced that avoiding media sensationalism on the recurring conflicts could help solve the problem.

The Acting Executive Director, Abu Kasangbata in a statement copied citifmonline.com pleaded with the media to act as agents of change in conflict prevention and peace management.

“The media plays a very critical role in national development and Journalists ought to be very responsible when reporting on conflict especially issues that border on the sensibilities of people.”

“Persistent stereotyping of northerners as violent people to others and to themselves is responsible for the recurring nature of conflicts in the north,” he observed.

Abu Kasangbata said government and the factions involved should dialogue and find lasting solutions to the hostilities.

He also condemned the habitual violent attack on state institutions whenever there is change of government.

“Even as political vigilantism may be said to have assumed a major national character, the major actors are in the north and those that are carried out elsewhere in the country are also perpetuated by people of northern extraction.”

“This is a sad commentary on our existence as a people which need to be addressed if we should break the cycle of poverty which is the biggest challenge we face”, he stated.

Abu Kansangbata said efforts geared towards eradicating poverty, food insecurity, high illiteracy rate, malnutrition, high morbidity rates and out-migration could be an exercise in futility if the conflict situation is unresolved.

“Lack of development and poverty can be felt more in towns such as Bawku, Wa, Yendi, Bimbilla and other places because funds and other resources meant to address poverty issues are often channelled into peacekeeping by central government and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.”

Savannah Development Policy Think-Tank is a socio-economic, justice and advocacy organisation based in Tamale.

Its prime objective is to focus on government’s development agenda for the three regions of the north.

A team of professionals with rich background in governance and policy, economics, journalism and communications are in charge of the Think Tank.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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