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| | Former Chairman Of Council Delivers Second Anglo Gold Lecture Series |    | | |  The immediate past Chairman of Council, Mr. Tony Oteng-Gyasi who is Managing Director of Tropical Cable and Conductor Limited has said that foreign funding of political activities in the country poses a threat to Ghana’s democracy. He said this when he recently delivered the second in the series of the Anglo Gold Ashanti Lecture Series on Business in Africa on the topic: Financiers of Political Change in Ghana: Heroes and Villains?
He observed that the use of foreign funds to fund political parties was inconsistent with the 1992 Constitution and quoted Article 55 of the Constitution which states that it is only a citizen of Ghana who can make contribution or donation to a political party registered in Ghana. He stressed that the just ended district level elections gave credence to the fact that the country's democracy could not depend on the largesse of foreign donors.
Mr. Oteng-Gyasi found as unacceptable that Ghanaians who “funded virtually all political activity leading to, and including the struggle for independence struggle can allow political activities to be foreign-funded, and expressed regret that the Political Parties Act had been crafted to allow foreigners to fund political parties and also make donations to the Electoral Commission to be accessed by the political parties. He therefore called for a special tax to fund political activities in the country.
"Why should we make rules with one hand and undo them with the other," he asked, adding, "I believe this is due to our lack of confidence in our ability to finance the expensive business of multi-party democracy which we have chosen for ourselves."
In her opening remarks, the Director of the Institute of Africa Studies, Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo said the lecture created a platform to highlight not only the diversity, resilience and innovation of African businesses in Af¬rica, but also provided an opportunity to look out¬side the proverbial boxes and synergies between ideas and practice. She paid glowing tribute to AngloGold Ashanti for the immense support given to the Institute, in particular, in instituting the Kwame Nkrumah Chair in honour of Dr. Nkrumah, who she said played an instrumental role in the libera¬tion of the African continent.
The acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Development) of the University, Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu, who chaired the programme, appealed to other corporate organisations to emulate the gesture of AngloGold and partner the University to promote research. In commending AngloGold, she said that the partnership sought to bring about mutual benefit, essentially in the provision of knowledge by the University and resources provided by AngloGold.
The lecture which was delivered to a packed audience took place at the J.H. Kwabena Nketia Hall at the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana. Among those who attended the lecture were Prof. Kofi Anyidoho, Chair, Kwame Nkrumah Chair in African Studies, as well as the Chief Executive of AngloGold Ashanti Group, Mr. Mark Cutifani who delivered the first in the series of the AngloGold Ashanti Business Lectures. Other representatives from AngloGold were Dr Toby Bradbury, outgoing Snr. Vice President AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, Mr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Vice-President Corporate Affairs, AngloGold Ashanti, Mr. Steve Knowles, Director Malaria Control AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, the Managing Directors of Iduaprim and Obuasi Mines , Mr. Billy Mawhasha and Kwesi Enyan respectively. The Acting President of the Adansi Traditional Council, Nana Sobin Kan II, Nana Afiamoa Kotokuo II, Chief of Samso and Nana Aboagye Agyeman Krontihene of Fomena also attended the lecture.
The Anglo-Gold Lecture Series was instituted in the University of Ghana in 2009 to highlight prominent business efforts and business persons in Africa. The lectures seek to reveal the multiple ways in which businesses shape, and are shaped by socio-political development.
Please click here to access the Welcome Address by Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo, Director, Institute of African Studies
Please click here to access the Lecture delivered by Mr. Tony Oteng-Gyasi | | | | Date Published: 01/04/2011 | | | |   |
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