UGBS Launches 2nd Edition of Ghana Business Development Review

Some officials of UGBS with Hon. Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Awal

The University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) has launched its 2nd edition of the “Ghana Business Development Review (GBDR) at the UGBS Graduate Building. The GBDR is a research-based report on business development in Ghana, mainly at the micro-level. It seeks to provide regular reviews of development and performance of businesses across various sectors of the economy and also provide an outlook with respect to investment and growth opportunities as well as policy direction.

At the launch, Dr. Kobby Mensah, Coordinator, Marketing and Communications Office, UGBS, welcomed participants and introduced the Chairperson, Prof. Samuel Agyei-Mensah, Provost of the College of Humanities.

Prof. Samuel Agyei-Mensah, Provost of the College of Humanities

In his remarks, the Chairperson stated that UGBS is committed to intensifying its impact on business development in the Ghanaian economy through policy-relevant research and advocacy. He indicated that the report was a one stop document for practitioners, investors, students and researchers. He commended the Dean and his team who worked meticulously for a successful completion of the report.

Dean of UGBS, Prof. Joshua Y. Abor highlighted that the report was rapidly gaining acceptance in the business community as an important reference document. This he said, demonstrates UGBS’ impact on society by contributing to the provision of relevant management education and cutting-edge research. He outlined key sectors in the report which includes manufacturing, pharmaceutical, real estate, agribusiness, financial services, energy, oil and gas as well as tourism and hospitality sectors.

Prof. Joshua Abor, Dean, UGBS

The overview of the report was presented by the GBDR Project Coordinator, Dr. Mohammed-Aminu Sanda. He explained that each of the eighteen (18) chapters of the review covers a sector of the economy in relation to business. Chapter 1 gives a complete overview of the Ghanaian economy in relation to the prevailing business environment, Chapter 2-5 covers real sector businesses; Manufacturing, Agribusiness and the Real Estate Sectors. Chapters 6 and 7 dissects the Energy sector and the Oil and Gas Sector respectively, Chapters 8-11 is devoted to the Financial Services Sector; Banking Sector, Non-banking Sector, Insurance Sector and Pensions Sector. Chapters 12, 13 and 14 deals with the advertising sector, ICT Sector and the Telecommunications Sector. Chapter 15 and 16 talks about the Health Business and Pharmaceutical Business Sector and the last two chapters analyses the Tourism and Hospitality Sector and the Accounting and Financial Services Sector.

Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Awal, Minster for Business Development, was the Guest of Honor for the ceremony. He expressed appreciation to the organizers for the invitation and indicated that the report was detailed, educative and very innovative. He touched on agriculture and agribusiness, industrialization and infrastructure as areas that the Government has targeted to ensure growth. He challenged academia to find solutions to the appalling rate of business failure in the country and pledged Government’s support to provide a suitable environment for young graduates with startups to flourish. He urged Academia, Industry and the Government to collaborate in promoting national development.

Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Awal, Minster for Business Development

In the Chairman’s closing remarks, he thanked all participants for their presence and encouraged many to use the newly launched GBDR as a point of reference in business and academia. He also expressed hope that UGBS will receive enough support to sustain the periodic publication of the review.

Present were heads of various Units and Departments.

A cross-section of audience at the launch