Ceramics have become a vital part of decorative item as people strive to make their homes look appealing. Gloria Asare, the founder of a ceramic label, Glo Asa Universe Company Limited is one of such people and shares her story with Ama Amankwah Baafi
In a bid to satisfy her growing interest in using ceramics to make items that are useful and thoughtful, Madam Asare quit work as a civil servant. Not only does she design her own products at the Glo Asa workshop located in Kasoa but also does flowering.
She initially produced to sell on the local market until her brother suggested she tried exporting. That was when she registered her company in the year 2000, went through the export school and subsequently developed her company profile.
Ceramics are a class of materials made of non-metallic substances such as clay. Potters make ceramic items by molding, heating and then cooling to form objects such as pots.
THE BRAIN BEHIND THE BUSINESS
She told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS that it was challenging to start a business but she took inspiration from other business women who had made a career from doing things that they loved. “I loved designing so I actually wanted to go into clothing and boutique but I realised that when I started my house, anything I put there concerning flowers or pots people admired it. Sometimes I ended up selling them,” she recalled.
People encouraged her to go into ceramics so she decided to use the land she had acquired at Kasoa to work, due to disturbances from land guards. Now she has her own ceramic designs, also makes her own flowers and tries to introduce clients to what each pot can be used for, whether on the veranda, at the dining room, on the table, etc and employs 10 permanent staff but adds 20 more when she gets orders.
Doing her own business gives her the opportunity to work flexibly and hard hence she is able to concentrate on it without too many other responsibilities. “My designs are really different, the creative technique that I use to make them always interests people and I hope everyone who chooses one feels that they have something out of the ordinary.”
Her target market
Madam Asare has found her designs to appeal to people interested in owning things that really stand out. She has seasonal designs but sometimes repeats a design when people like them.
She chooses the events she attends carefully in order to find her target market and trade fairs in Nigeria are key events for her, as Nigeria is her biggest market. She also markets her products in Europe and America.
“I put a lot of energy into marketing my products. You can make beautiful things but no one can buy them if they do not know about them. Attending local and international fairs really make a difference to my marketing opportunities. People get in touch with me after such fairs to make orders.”
She also recognised that Europe and America have specific colour trend for each year and so she takes it into consideration when making ceramics, particularly when painting the ceramic. For such markets, she also decorates her ceramics with beads.
Time used in producing depends on the pot size and design. She said she washes the clay, mould it into ball to get it starchy, after which she starts moulding. It should also be allowed to dry well to ensure durability before designing starts or else they begin to crack.
She dismissed claims that ceramics are expensive to be purchased for interior decoration, but said the cost varies depending on the quality and size. According to her, there are many ways of making a selection of ceramic pots and vases, depending on the wall paint colour; size of the room; and the design on the vase may also match with the type of flowers placed in it.
However, she cautioned that if one wishes to place ceramic pots in the garden, then the quality of the pots would certainly matter because these pots need to be highly durable and weather resistant.
SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES
Though she has no awards yet, she is happy she has made significant investments. She now lives in her own house at a good location. Her products are highly appreciated outside Ghana and she has moved all the way to far away Calabar in Nigeria to market her products and can also be found on Google map.
Breakage is her major challenge. Cumbersome border controls make it difficult for her to honour an order. “Transporting my products within West Africa is difficult. At each point they offload all goods on board and because they not professionals, most of my products due to its delicate nature get broken. In fact, it is painful to lose a pot,” she complained.
Access to credit facilities is also difficult. She told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS she has not trained many Ghanaians yet because most of the youth see ceramic making as a difficult venture and so prefer flower arrangement. Yet, people in countries like Nigeria show interest to the extent that some non-governmental organisations contract her to teach the youth. Even at the recent trade fair in Lagos, five people approached her to showing interest to follow her to Ghana to train in ceramics.
She believes the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) is doing so much to support people in the creative sector, unlike their fellows in other countries who do not have that opportunity to get their goods freighted to any fair destination and stands secured for them.
Periodically, she undertakes training programmes to upgrade her skills and knowledge.
FUTURE PLANS
She hopes to put up an ultra modern showroom on her eight plots of land at Kasoa, where one can find anything ceramic. Above all, she will be working hard to move her business forward and hope to enjoy the challenges this will bring. She also has plans to further her education.
Hobbies
She enjoys cooking good food, taking good wine and having people around to converse with. She also loves to play lap top games.
Her advice to other women who aim to start their own businesses
She advised that they should be organised, work out their business plan before they begin, although things never go entirely to plan, they need to have things to aim for in order to succeed.
“There are poorly designed, poorly crafted, and unoriginal products in the market. If you want to create a product that has value, there are no shortcuts. So do not rush it. Take your time to make something original and you will feel rewarded even before your stuff starts selling,” she said. GB
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Businesses look for better years ahead
THERE are mixed feelings about the aftermath of the elections and economic stability. While formal sector businesses are bullish, the informal sector remains bearish. Charles Benoni Okine, Samuel Doe Ablordeppey & Ama Amankwa Baafi report
THE business community is expecting a much better business climate and economic activity next year.
The community also expects that instability in the exchange rate which had fuelled marginal inflation would correct to impact on the policy rate of the Bank of Ghana and subsequently on the base rate of commercial banks.
The Deputy Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Mr Jim Baiden, told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS in a telephone conversation that the banking industry was hoping to see a more stable economy with the elections now over.
“We expect that post-election period will be more stable. We also expect interest rates to fall and make the cost of borrowing lower and also impact positively on inflation,” Mr Baiden said, explaining that the year had been very challenging for commercial banks, particularly with the tightening administrative measures announced by the Bank of Ghana (BoG).
He said the banking industry had seen difficult times in 2012 following the contractionary stance the Bank of Ghana took to check excess liquidity. He said the exchange rate restrictions had affected liquidity in the banking industry and could slow down the growth in deposits, especially as the BoG treasury rates competed with the banks’ rates.
Government in its 2012 Budget Statement hoped to achieve a real non-oil Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 7.6 per cent, real overall GDP growth of 9.4 per cent, average inflation of 8.7 per cent, end-period inflation of 8.5 per cent and gross international reserves of not less than three months of import cover for goods and services and an overall budget deficit equivalent of 4.8 per cent of GDP.
Mr Baiden’s projects follow trends established by various factors and think tanks which have predicted a favourable 2013.
Foremost, the BoG increased the policy rate from 12.5 per cent in January to 13.5 per cent in February and to 14.5 per cent in April this year. The current 15 per cent policy rate took effect in June this year.
In addition to its open market operations characterised by more treasury bill issues, the central bank has also taken some administrative measures to tighten the monetary system. This includes banks keeping mandatory reserves over cedi and foreign currency deposits in cedis and instructing all banks to provide 100 per cent cedi cover for their off-shore account balances to be maintained at the BoG.
With oil production expected to peak at 120,000 barrels bopd, the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA), has projected that growth would rebound to 10.5 per cent in 2013 before falling back to 9.0 per cent the following year.
CEPA projected in its 2012 Ghana Economic Review and Outlook that the non-oil sector would also grow at an average growth rate of 8.5 per cent between 2011 and 2014.
The cedi and foreign exchange inflation is expected to be contained because unlike former times when the government dolls out funds to retire maturing bonds and treasury bills, this time it has adopted a new policy where it issues medium-term bonds to pay maturing ones.
This will reprieve the system of so much cash which often leads to inflation.
On the political agitations of some New Patriotic Party (NPP) members for their candidate Nana Akuffo Addo to rather be declared the winner of the December 7 polls, the business community said they were not worried over the current magnitude.
“From where we sit, the agitations are not widespread and there should be no cause for alarm. It is business as usual for us,” the deputy managing director of Fidelity Bank told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS.
The Export Manager of Mohinani Group, Mr Martin Ahovi, also told the GRAPHIC BUSINES that the aftermath of the elections had not in any way affected their business.
"Everythin is cool. Business is the same as before or throughout the year. We are not affected by anything. I will even say that business is booming because it is Christmas period," he said.
He said the company's participation in the made-in Ghana solo exhibition in Liberia had already started yielding fruits as the company had just exported a 40 footer container load of goods to that country.
The Mohinani Group, which deals mainly in polythene, polypropylene films, shopping bags, poly tanks among others, is also projecting a better economy and business climate next year.
“The company is looking forward to improve on its exports next year,” Mr Ahovi stated.
In sharp contrast, traders in the Central Business District of Accra, Kaneshie and the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area are expressing grave concerns about the events after the 2012 general elections which saw the ruling National Democratic Congress retaining power for another four-year term.
According to them, violent attacks in the markets by armed thugs is making the markets unsafe, hence the reduction in the number of people who buy from market, particularly around this time of the year when Christians are about shopping for the Yuletide next week.
Consequently, they have called on the government to push change the election date from December to about October so that it does not affect the business in the markets while reducing tensions prior to the celebration of the Yuletide.
Following the declaration of the election results by the Electoral Commission (EC), the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters have gathered at the Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in protest against what they described as rigging of the elections in favour of the sitting President.
According to the traders there, the number of people who normally buy some of the wares are no longer doing so because they fear standing too long for fear of what might happen next.
One trader who sells kids clothing in a corner near the Tip Toe Lane, Adjoa Konadu Abrefi, said “we as traders ourselves are scared because after every hour or so, we hear shouts of ‘they are coming, they are coming’ and then people scatter all over the place”.
That, she said, was negatively affecting them because for fear of being attacked people do not patronise their products.
“This is our season and the issues surrounding the election are not helping us at all; We therefore call on the security to restore calm while the leaders of the parties also call their supporters to order”, she said.
Madam Hannah Morrison alias, Area Mama, at the Makola market, where there are reports of armed thugs supposedly from the NPP terrorising people in the market for supporting the NDC, described sales after the elections as “slow and worrying.”
“We have invested so much in buying our wares but the people are not coming the way we expect it, particularly at this time of the year when all shopping is about Christmas”, she said.
Madam Morrison attributed the reason for the slow sales to the pockets of violence around the market and called for maximum security and reassurance from the political parties and the security agencies that the country is safe.
“Personally, I want the election date to be moved way ahead of the Yuletide so that by the time the festivities are due, we will have peace of mind to do our business and everyone will move around without fear,” she said.
Naa Amerley Torto also a trader who sells greeting cards at Makola said “it seems people have forgotten there is Christmas in the corner and therefore, they seem engulfed in the elections and the aftermath”.
She wondered why elections should be fixed around a festivity such as Christmas because it affected sales, particularly for the Yuletide is concerned.
Meanwhile, the two political parties have committed themselves to ensure peace and have also prevailed on their supporters to be calm.
THE business community is expecting a much better business climate and economic activity next year.
The community also expects that instability in the exchange rate which had fuelled marginal inflation would correct to impact on the policy rate of the Bank of Ghana and subsequently on the base rate of commercial banks.
The Deputy Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Mr Jim Baiden, told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS in a telephone conversation that the banking industry was hoping to see a more stable economy with the elections now over.
“We expect that post-election period will be more stable. We also expect interest rates to fall and make the cost of borrowing lower and also impact positively on inflation,” Mr Baiden said, explaining that the year had been very challenging for commercial banks, particularly with the tightening administrative measures announced by the Bank of Ghana (BoG).
He said the banking industry had seen difficult times in 2012 following the contractionary stance the Bank of Ghana took to check excess liquidity. He said the exchange rate restrictions had affected liquidity in the banking industry and could slow down the growth in deposits, especially as the BoG treasury rates competed with the banks’ rates.
Government in its 2012 Budget Statement hoped to achieve a real non-oil Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 7.6 per cent, real overall GDP growth of 9.4 per cent, average inflation of 8.7 per cent, end-period inflation of 8.5 per cent and gross international reserves of not less than three months of import cover for goods and services and an overall budget deficit equivalent of 4.8 per cent of GDP.
Mr Baiden’s projects follow trends established by various factors and think tanks which have predicted a favourable 2013.
Foremost, the BoG increased the policy rate from 12.5 per cent in January to 13.5 per cent in February and to 14.5 per cent in April this year. The current 15 per cent policy rate took effect in June this year.
In addition to its open market operations characterised by more treasury bill issues, the central bank has also taken some administrative measures to tighten the monetary system. This includes banks keeping mandatory reserves over cedi and foreign currency deposits in cedis and instructing all banks to provide 100 per cent cedi cover for their off-shore account balances to be maintained at the BoG.
With oil production expected to peak at 120,000 barrels bopd, the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA), has projected that growth would rebound to 10.5 per cent in 2013 before falling back to 9.0 per cent the following year.
CEPA projected in its 2012 Ghana Economic Review and Outlook that the non-oil sector would also grow at an average growth rate of 8.5 per cent between 2011 and 2014.
The cedi and foreign exchange inflation is expected to be contained because unlike former times when the government dolls out funds to retire maturing bonds and treasury bills, this time it has adopted a new policy where it issues medium-term bonds to pay maturing ones.
This will reprieve the system of so much cash which often leads to inflation.
On the political agitations of some New Patriotic Party (NPP) members for their candidate Nana Akuffo Addo to rather be declared the winner of the December 7 polls, the business community said they were not worried over the current magnitude.
“From where we sit, the agitations are not widespread and there should be no cause for alarm. It is business as usual for us,” the deputy managing director of Fidelity Bank told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS.
The Export Manager of Mohinani Group, Mr Martin Ahovi, also told the GRAPHIC BUSINES that the aftermath of the elections had not in any way affected their business.
"Everythin is cool. Business is the same as before or throughout the year. We are not affected by anything. I will even say that business is booming because it is Christmas period," he said.
He said the company's participation in the made-in Ghana solo exhibition in Liberia had already started yielding fruits as the company had just exported a 40 footer container load of goods to that country.
The Mohinani Group, which deals mainly in polythene, polypropylene films, shopping bags, poly tanks among others, is also projecting a better economy and business climate next year.
“The company is looking forward to improve on its exports next year,” Mr Ahovi stated.
In sharp contrast, traders in the Central Business District of Accra, Kaneshie and the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area are expressing grave concerns about the events after the 2012 general elections which saw the ruling National Democratic Congress retaining power for another four-year term.
According to them, violent attacks in the markets by armed thugs is making the markets unsafe, hence the reduction in the number of people who buy from market, particularly around this time of the year when Christians are about shopping for the Yuletide next week.
Consequently, they have called on the government to push change the election date from December to about October so that it does not affect the business in the markets while reducing tensions prior to the celebration of the Yuletide.
Following the declaration of the election results by the Electoral Commission (EC), the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters have gathered at the Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in protest against what they described as rigging of the elections in favour of the sitting President.
According to the traders there, the number of people who normally buy some of the wares are no longer doing so because they fear standing too long for fear of what might happen next.
One trader who sells kids clothing in a corner near the Tip Toe Lane, Adjoa Konadu Abrefi, said “we as traders ourselves are scared because after every hour or so, we hear shouts of ‘they are coming, they are coming’ and then people scatter all over the place”.
That, she said, was negatively affecting them because for fear of being attacked people do not patronise their products.
“This is our season and the issues surrounding the election are not helping us at all; We therefore call on the security to restore calm while the leaders of the parties also call their supporters to order”, she said.
Madam Hannah Morrison alias, Area Mama, at the Makola market, where there are reports of armed thugs supposedly from the NPP terrorising people in the market for supporting the NDC, described sales after the elections as “slow and worrying.”
“We have invested so much in buying our wares but the people are not coming the way we expect it, particularly at this time of the year when all shopping is about Christmas”, she said.
Madam Morrison attributed the reason for the slow sales to the pockets of violence around the market and called for maximum security and reassurance from the political parties and the security agencies that the country is safe.
“Personally, I want the election date to be moved way ahead of the Yuletide so that by the time the festivities are due, we will have peace of mind to do our business and everyone will move around without fear,” she said.
Naa Amerley Torto also a trader who sells greeting cards at Makola said “it seems people have forgotten there is Christmas in the corner and therefore, they seem engulfed in the elections and the aftermath”.
She wondered why elections should be fixed around a festivity such as Christmas because it affected sales, particularly for the Yuletide is concerned.
Meanwhile, the two political parties have committed themselves to ensure peace and have also prevailed on their supporters to be calm.
I don’t give up easily – says Ijeoma Ogbugo
Playing in the construction industry as a woman is different, the environment has always been bias towards men. It takes unwavering purposeful women like Ms Eunice Ijeoma Aku Ogbugo, to break this myth. Ama Amankwah Baafi reports
Thirty-one year old Eunice has been in the news lately, being awarded not only as the youngest female civil engineer who owns a construction company, but most importantly for excelling in her chosen field of endeavour.
She was decorated with two awards for Business Excellence and a Female Personality at the 2012 edition of the National Youth Achievers Awards ceremony.
Ms Ogbugo told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS at her office in Tema that “I am a soft speaker but I have inner tenacity, a persevering spirit and I don’t give up easily.”
She stressed that challenges were yet to make her give up, so much also because I had no option.”
She added that “I focus very much and I have a fighting spirit, I won’t take no for an answer. No matter how hard I get knocked, I rise again and forge ahead.”
THE STORY OF EUGO TERRANO LTD
After graduating from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2004 at the age of 24, she worked with Contera, an engineering consultancy firm.
While working there she realised that being confined to an office area to work was not her calling and therefore undertook a six-month course in entrepreneurship in June 2004 to enable her start her own company.
As divine test for her, Ms Ogbugo performed a fee based job for Jogis Real Estate Developers, when she was doing her National Service, which helped her to save up to start up her own business. This helped her to focus on Eugo Terrano Limited which she incorporated in December 2004.
The Tema based Eugo Terrano Limited, coined from her names Eunice and Ogbugo (EUGO), is a construction firm, which started business in January 2005. The name TERRA is the Italian word for Earth and ‘NO’ affixed to make it rhyme with EUGO.
Though an indigenous company, the name gives it an international appeal.
Ms Ogbugo explained that the main rationale for establishing the company was to create jobs and construct professionally to lift up the image of the construction industry.
In less than 10 years of operation, the clientele of Eugo Terrano include the Department of Urban Roads; the Department of Feeder Roads; the Ghana Highway Authority and the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, with contracts scattered in regions such as the Eastern, Volta, Brong Ahafo and Greater Accra. The company also performs contracts for the European Union and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
“I was virtually doing everything on my own right form purchasing of tender documents, preparing the tender documents, going through the bidding process, then upon winning, sourcing for financial assistance from banks, carrying out the accounting, site supervision, geodetic engineering, procurement till successful execution and completion of the work,” she said.
SOME OF EUGO’S PROJECT
The company’s first major project was the grading of Ho Polytechnic Down Roads in the Volta Region. Some of its current projects includes the GH¢7-million Upgrading of the Techimantia-Akomadan road in the Brong Ahafo Region. The company has also completed a Rectangular Storm drain at Goaso.
Eunice said her company’s choice of project was strategic and influenced by a number of factors such as location, source of funding and client.
“Accra is pretty much congested because so many contractors are working here. However, we see that the rural areas also need to be developed. We decided to concentrate outside Accra where we will be needed most,” she explained.
CHALLENGES
The managing director of Eugo Terrano Ltd said had overcome many challenges. These include delay in payment after execution of projects, which brings along a lot of harassment, as a woman in a male dominated industry.
“You get negative feedback because of your gender, so you have to be tough to be able to rub shoulders with the men. People also expect that as a young entrepreneur, the status quo is that you have to complete school and get employed, gain experience for a number of years before you can think of doing your own business,” she said.
Her patrilineal background as Nigerian also gave her a lot of challenges with the banks, as bankers threaded extra cautiously before dealing with her.
ADVICE
Eunice believes that people just need to look beyond gender and age and focus ones capabilities rather than equating youthfulness to inability to achieve, adding that the government also needed to pay contractors promptly.
“The payment process is cumbersome and delays payment unnecessarily since every contract has its own uniqueness,” she lamented, adding “everybody thinks you have to be a politician to get contracts.”
LOCAL VS FOREIGN CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES
Comparing local and foreign construction companies, Ms Ogbugo said the difference had to do with organisational structure and managerial skills, with the foreign companies doing generally better.
“Local contractors are entrepreneurs who have not been able to migrate to become corporate entities, because they have not put in the proper structures, processes, policies, procedures and systems.
She said local contractors were also unable to attract the highly qualified and capable technical and administrative personnel because of fear of delay in payment.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Eugo Terrano has been able to successfully migrate from a small medium enterprise (SME) into a corporate entity and Ms Ogbugo vowed that the company as ready to change the face of the construction industry in Ghana.
The company is implementing steps to establish a Project Management Unit, a Corporate Affairs Unit, as well as the Eugo Foundation – Corporate Social Responsibility arm of Eugo Terrano Limited.
OUTLOOK
While she believes she is on course, Ms Ogbogu says there was still a lot of room for improvement. The immediate plan is to grow Eugo Terrano into Ghana club 100, be number one when it comes to construction, to go international and possibly list on the Ghana Stock Exchange at a point.
COURSES AND HOBBIES
Ms Ogbogu has also taken a lot of courses such as in Human Resource Management, Procurement, Accounting, and Good Corporate Governance and Project Management.
Eunice loves reading, especially non-fiction: “it is a continuous learning process for me,” she said. She also likes swimming and engaging in church activities.
FAMILY BACKGROUND
A mother of one, Eunice hails from Tegbi near Anloga in the Volta Region, has three siblings and three step siblings.
Thirty-one year old Eunice has been in the news lately, being awarded not only as the youngest female civil engineer who owns a construction company, but most importantly for excelling in her chosen field of endeavour.
She was decorated with two awards for Business Excellence and a Female Personality at the 2012 edition of the National Youth Achievers Awards ceremony.
Ms Ogbugo told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS at her office in Tema that “I am a soft speaker but I have inner tenacity, a persevering spirit and I don’t give up easily.”
She stressed that challenges were yet to make her give up, so much also because I had no option.”
She added that “I focus very much and I have a fighting spirit, I won’t take no for an answer. No matter how hard I get knocked, I rise again and forge ahead.”
THE STORY OF EUGO TERRANO LTD
After graduating from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2004 at the age of 24, she worked with Contera, an engineering consultancy firm.
While working there she realised that being confined to an office area to work was not her calling and therefore undertook a six-month course in entrepreneurship in June 2004 to enable her start her own company.
As divine test for her, Ms Ogbugo performed a fee based job for Jogis Real Estate Developers, when she was doing her National Service, which helped her to save up to start up her own business. This helped her to focus on Eugo Terrano Limited which she incorporated in December 2004.
The Tema based Eugo Terrano Limited, coined from her names Eunice and Ogbugo (EUGO), is a construction firm, which started business in January 2005. The name TERRA is the Italian word for Earth and ‘NO’ affixed to make it rhyme with EUGO.
Though an indigenous company, the name gives it an international appeal.
Ms Ogbugo explained that the main rationale for establishing the company was to create jobs and construct professionally to lift up the image of the construction industry.
In less than 10 years of operation, the clientele of Eugo Terrano include the Department of Urban Roads; the Department of Feeder Roads; the Ghana Highway Authority and the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, with contracts scattered in regions such as the Eastern, Volta, Brong Ahafo and Greater Accra. The company also performs contracts for the European Union and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
“I was virtually doing everything on my own right form purchasing of tender documents, preparing the tender documents, going through the bidding process, then upon winning, sourcing for financial assistance from banks, carrying out the accounting, site supervision, geodetic engineering, procurement till successful execution and completion of the work,” she said.
SOME OF EUGO’S PROJECT
The company’s first major project was the grading of Ho Polytechnic Down Roads in the Volta Region. Some of its current projects includes the GH¢7-million Upgrading of the Techimantia-Akomadan road in the Brong Ahafo Region. The company has also completed a Rectangular Storm drain at Goaso.
Eunice said her company’s choice of project was strategic and influenced by a number of factors such as location, source of funding and client.
“Accra is pretty much congested because so many contractors are working here. However, we see that the rural areas also need to be developed. We decided to concentrate outside Accra where we will be needed most,” she explained.
CHALLENGES
The managing director of Eugo Terrano Ltd said had overcome many challenges. These include delay in payment after execution of projects, which brings along a lot of harassment, as a woman in a male dominated industry.
“You get negative feedback because of your gender, so you have to be tough to be able to rub shoulders with the men. People also expect that as a young entrepreneur, the status quo is that you have to complete school and get employed, gain experience for a number of years before you can think of doing your own business,” she said.
Her patrilineal background as Nigerian also gave her a lot of challenges with the banks, as bankers threaded extra cautiously before dealing with her.
ADVICE
Eunice believes that people just need to look beyond gender and age and focus ones capabilities rather than equating youthfulness to inability to achieve, adding that the government also needed to pay contractors promptly.
“The payment process is cumbersome and delays payment unnecessarily since every contract has its own uniqueness,” she lamented, adding “everybody thinks you have to be a politician to get contracts.”
LOCAL VS FOREIGN CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES
Comparing local and foreign construction companies, Ms Ogbugo said the difference had to do with organisational structure and managerial skills, with the foreign companies doing generally better.
“Local contractors are entrepreneurs who have not been able to migrate to become corporate entities, because they have not put in the proper structures, processes, policies, procedures and systems.
She said local contractors were also unable to attract the highly qualified and capable technical and administrative personnel because of fear of delay in payment.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Eugo Terrano has been able to successfully migrate from a small medium enterprise (SME) into a corporate entity and Ms Ogbugo vowed that the company as ready to change the face of the construction industry in Ghana.
The company is implementing steps to establish a Project Management Unit, a Corporate Affairs Unit, as well as the Eugo Foundation – Corporate Social Responsibility arm of Eugo Terrano Limited.
OUTLOOK
While she believes she is on course, Ms Ogbogu says there was still a lot of room for improvement. The immediate plan is to grow Eugo Terrano into Ghana club 100, be number one when it comes to construction, to go international and possibly list on the Ghana Stock Exchange at a point.
COURSES AND HOBBIES
Ms Ogbogu has also taken a lot of courses such as in Human Resource Management, Procurement, Accounting, and Good Corporate Governance and Project Management.
Eunice loves reading, especially non-fiction: “it is a continuous learning process for me,” she said. She also likes swimming and engaging in church activities.
FAMILY BACKGROUND
A mother of one, Eunice hails from Tegbi near Anloga in the Volta Region, has three siblings and three step siblings.
Role of exhibitions in promoting intra-regional trade
Many will be surprised to learn that the army which is often associated with doing battle to protect the country’s territories, can also dance and perform to entertain its compatriots.
A detachment of the men in uniform belonging to Ghana’s Battalion (GhanaBat) to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), recently staged a spectacular cultural to the admiration of representatives of government, businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals.
The occasion was Ghana’s solo exhibition in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, where the GhanaBat (UNMIL) members showcase another side of the country’s strength – rich cultural heritage and enormous tourism potential.
This was just an appropriate showcase to send a clear signal to the rest of ECOWAS that Ghana had a wide array of non-traditional exports many of which were on display at the solo exhibition.
A delegation of about 44 exhibitors participated in the fairs in Liberia and later to Lagos, Nigeria to tap into the enormous opportunities that trade exhibitions offer businesses and entrepreneurs to develop and harness market potential, especially as market access issues have become very important in today’s competitive global world.
With support from the Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund (EDAIF), the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) is currently focusing on increased market access in the sub-region.
The GEPA, under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), is responsible for promoting non-traditional exports (NTEs). It does this through various means including attending fairs and organising solo exhibitions of made-in-Ghana products in targeted markets.
Such exhibitions, funds permitting, should be organised frequently and must be a continuous process.
“We realise that trading among ourselves is better and easier than going to the international world which has a lot of requirements. The market in the sub-region is big with a population of about 300 million. Also from experience, we realise a lot of our products go to the sub-region so it is better for us to do business among ourselves,” the acting Chief Executive Officer of the GEPA, Mr Stephen Normeshie, notes.
However, he said, the new focus did not mean that the authority was abandoning the European market, saying “currently the EU is the largest market for our NTEs, but we also want to develop the sub-region in addition to the developed world so we can ensure that the NTE sector does not only exceed the set target of US$5 billion by 2015, but also contribute more than a quarter of total exports from Ghana”.
This year, Ghanaian businesses and entrepreneurs have participated in eight exhibitions in the sub-region alone and two international ones –Ambiente in Germany and Izmir in Turkey.
Mr Normeshie said Ghana can maximise the benefit of exhibitions through research to determine market demands and provide accordingly.
“Ghana’s imports are more than exports which put pressure on the cedis, therefore if we are able to send our products outside more it will help the country.”
Over 40 Ghanaian companies from different product sectors participated in the solo exhibition in Liberia from 23rd to 31st October 2012. A variety of products, including pharmaceuticals, household disinfectants, detergents, herbal products, Shea butter and soaps were on display.
Others were, textiles and garments, woodcraft, straw baskets, beads & beaded items, footwear, cosmetics, hair products, plastic packaging, lubricating oils, animal health products, aluminum cook wear and roofing and medical care products.
Other Ghanaian companies engaged in the provision of quality water and general civil engineering works, total survey and mapping systems, printing, etc also participated in the exhibition.
Some exhibitors told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS that the exhibition was generally good. Mr George Amissah of Daysah Ventures, producers of Green-Life morning a powder, sufficient gari moringa and natural slim tea, said he was able to make inroads.
“Four big supermarkets such as Payless Super Store, Stop and Shop Supermarket, UN Drive and Exclusive super stores readily accept my products. I am still talking with other interested groups. In fact, the gari moringa is an adored product. The people of Liberia relish it,” he said.
Hajia Fati of Alagie & Fati’s Co. Ltd, makers of shea butter cream and black soap said all their products sold out and did not come back with a single product. She said the company was able to secure several contacts such that they have brought the GEPA on board to help them finalise the deals.
Mr Samuel Ohene Budu of JOISSAM Ghana Limited, water solutions provider and general civil engineering works contractor, said the company’s prospects looked promising after several interactions with players in the sector in Liberia.
Yet, a few entrepreneurs such as Cephas Bowman of Bowman Kente Weaving said patronage was not so encouraging and blamed it on the venue which he said was quite far from the city centre.
Most of the exhibitors have expressed the desire to open up shops in Monrovia Liberia, realising their taste for made-in Ghana products.
Already, Yvonne Exclusive Designs, fashion designers, has taken the lead to set up shop in Monrovia.
The Assistant Director of Public Affairs at the National Oil Company of Liberia, Madam Fatu Gbedemah, who visited the fair, was happy that it presented a good opportunity for the Liberians to see what Ghana had to offer and learn some best practices.
“The exhibition needs to be organised more often. Liberia needs to concentrate on entrepreneurship and the exhibition is a sure way to get people to aspire to be innovative and come out with their own ventures,’ she said.
A detachment of the men in uniform belonging to Ghana’s Battalion (GhanaBat) to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), recently staged a spectacular cultural to the admiration of representatives of government, businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals.
The occasion was Ghana’s solo exhibition in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, where the GhanaBat (UNMIL) members showcase another side of the country’s strength – rich cultural heritage and enormous tourism potential.
This was just an appropriate showcase to send a clear signal to the rest of ECOWAS that Ghana had a wide array of non-traditional exports many of which were on display at the solo exhibition.
A delegation of about 44 exhibitors participated in the fairs in Liberia and later to Lagos, Nigeria to tap into the enormous opportunities that trade exhibitions offer businesses and entrepreneurs to develop and harness market potential, especially as market access issues have become very important in today’s competitive global world.
With support from the Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund (EDAIF), the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) is currently focusing on increased market access in the sub-region.
The GEPA, under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), is responsible for promoting non-traditional exports (NTEs). It does this through various means including attending fairs and organising solo exhibitions of made-in-Ghana products in targeted markets.
Such exhibitions, funds permitting, should be organised frequently and must be a continuous process.
“We realise that trading among ourselves is better and easier than going to the international world which has a lot of requirements. The market in the sub-region is big with a population of about 300 million. Also from experience, we realise a lot of our products go to the sub-region so it is better for us to do business among ourselves,” the acting Chief Executive Officer of the GEPA, Mr Stephen Normeshie, notes.
However, he said, the new focus did not mean that the authority was abandoning the European market, saying “currently the EU is the largest market for our NTEs, but we also want to develop the sub-region in addition to the developed world so we can ensure that the NTE sector does not only exceed the set target of US$5 billion by 2015, but also contribute more than a quarter of total exports from Ghana”.
This year, Ghanaian businesses and entrepreneurs have participated in eight exhibitions in the sub-region alone and two international ones –Ambiente in Germany and Izmir in Turkey.
Mr Normeshie said Ghana can maximise the benefit of exhibitions through research to determine market demands and provide accordingly.
“Ghana’s imports are more than exports which put pressure on the cedis, therefore if we are able to send our products outside more it will help the country.”
Over 40 Ghanaian companies from different product sectors participated in the solo exhibition in Liberia from 23rd to 31st October 2012. A variety of products, including pharmaceuticals, household disinfectants, detergents, herbal products, Shea butter and soaps were on display.
Others were, textiles and garments, woodcraft, straw baskets, beads & beaded items, footwear, cosmetics, hair products, plastic packaging, lubricating oils, animal health products, aluminum cook wear and roofing and medical care products.
Other Ghanaian companies engaged in the provision of quality water and general civil engineering works, total survey and mapping systems, printing, etc also participated in the exhibition.
Some exhibitors told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS that the exhibition was generally good. Mr George Amissah of Daysah Ventures, producers of Green-Life morning a powder, sufficient gari moringa and natural slim tea, said he was able to make inroads.
“Four big supermarkets such as Payless Super Store, Stop and Shop Supermarket, UN Drive and Exclusive super stores readily accept my products. I am still talking with other interested groups. In fact, the gari moringa is an adored product. The people of Liberia relish it,” he said.
Hajia Fati of Alagie & Fati’s Co. Ltd, makers of shea butter cream and black soap said all their products sold out and did not come back with a single product. She said the company was able to secure several contacts such that they have brought the GEPA on board to help them finalise the deals.
Mr Samuel Ohene Budu of JOISSAM Ghana Limited, water solutions provider and general civil engineering works contractor, said the company’s prospects looked promising after several interactions with players in the sector in Liberia.
Yet, a few entrepreneurs such as Cephas Bowman of Bowman Kente Weaving said patronage was not so encouraging and blamed it on the venue which he said was quite far from the city centre.
Most of the exhibitors have expressed the desire to open up shops in Monrovia Liberia, realising their taste for made-in Ghana products.
Already, Yvonne Exclusive Designs, fashion designers, has taken the lead to set up shop in Monrovia.
The Assistant Director of Public Affairs at the National Oil Company of Liberia, Madam Fatu Gbedemah, who visited the fair, was happy that it presented a good opportunity for the Liberians to see what Ghana had to offer and learn some best practices.
“The exhibition needs to be organised more often. Liberia needs to concentrate on entrepreneurship and the exhibition is a sure way to get people to aspire to be innovative and come out with their own ventures,’ she said.
“Keke Maruwa” in Lagos
Tricycle, generally referred to as Keke Maruwa, is a means of transport in Nigeria. The three-legged ride with a bucket officially designed for three passengers minus the rider is exceptionally popular in Nigeria’s political capital, Lagos.
Officially, the cycle is supposed to carry three passengers. But as some taxis and trotro are often seen carrying more passengers than they are officially meant to, Keke is also use to breaking road traffic rules in West Africa’s most populous country.
When that happens, the fourth ‘unofficial passenger’ sits by the driver instead of sitting in the bucket.
Keke is vehemently competing with commercial taxis and buses in the country. Indeed, they are a major means of movement for humans and goods. The services and charges of the Keke vary and they perform same functions as commercial taxis, including hire services.
Unofficial reports have it that the Tricycle was promoted by Buba Marwa, a former military administrator of Lagos who served between 1996 and 1999.
Although Keke has gained popularity as an affordable means of transport for people and goods throughout Nigeria, city authorities have confined its operations to specific routes where commercial motorbike riders are not allowed to operate on.
Commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada, were banned from operating in the city center over six years ago within the city centre.
The Lagos Governor, Babatunde Fashola, is reported to have urged residents of the state to endure whatever inconveniences the restriction of Okada riders from the state metropolis might have caused them.
He said “Okada will not be our transportation model in this state. Other states have banned it and heaven did not fall in those states. Our state will not be a dumping ground for motorcycles. But instead of banning it in Lagos, what the government has done was to restrict their operations on 475 roads out of 9,000.”
He assured the residents that the legislation would be of great benefit to the people of Lagos in the long-run. “There will be no gain without some pain attached to it. And every resident of Lagos should be ready to sacrifice for the reward that would come in a short time,” he said. GB
Officially, the cycle is supposed to carry three passengers. But as some taxis and trotro are often seen carrying more passengers than they are officially meant to, Keke is also use to breaking road traffic rules in West Africa’s most populous country.
When that happens, the fourth ‘unofficial passenger’ sits by the driver instead of sitting in the bucket.
Keke is vehemently competing with commercial taxis and buses in the country. Indeed, they are a major means of movement for humans and goods. The services and charges of the Keke vary and they perform same functions as commercial taxis, including hire services.
Unofficial reports have it that the Tricycle was promoted by Buba Marwa, a former military administrator of Lagos who served between 1996 and 1999.
Although Keke has gained popularity as an affordable means of transport for people and goods throughout Nigeria, city authorities have confined its operations to specific routes where commercial motorbike riders are not allowed to operate on.
Commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada, were banned from operating in the city center over six years ago within the city centre.
The Lagos Governor, Babatunde Fashola, is reported to have urged residents of the state to endure whatever inconveniences the restriction of Okada riders from the state metropolis might have caused them.
He said “Okada will not be our transportation model in this state. Other states have banned it and heaven did not fall in those states. Our state will not be a dumping ground for motorcycles. But instead of banning it in Lagos, what the government has done was to restrict their operations on 475 roads out of 9,000.”
He assured the residents that the legislation would be of great benefit to the people of Lagos in the long-run. “There will be no gain without some pain attached to it. And every resident of Lagos should be ready to sacrifice for the reward that would come in a short time,” he said. GB
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Activa and Coface introduce credit insurance
Activa International Insurance Company (ACII) in partnership with Coface has introduced a credit protection insurance product into the market to insure companies against the risk of financial default by their clients both on the domestic market and for export.
A partnership agreement between the two companies has consequently been signed to that effect and the product is expected to fuel economic activity by facilitating access to bank loans for businesses in Ghana and to the receivables purchase facilities offered by banks.
Activa is a member of the Pan-African insurance group, Group Activa Assurance while the Coface Group is a worldwide leader in credit insurance.
The Managing Director of ACII Ghana, Mr Steve Kyerematen at the signing ceremony in Accra said the partnership is in line with series of innovations Activa had brought to the insurance market in Ghana.
He said Activa had provided a wide range of general insurance products and some niche products including Assets Mark III policy (a policy that combines 20 optional covers both personal and commercial lines including property, business interruption, liability and transit covers). Products like medical malpractice, clinical trials, directors and officers’ liability are also available.
Mr Kyerematen noted Ghana has done a lot to achieve lower middle income status and the nature and character of the economy is also evolving, especially with credit control, therefore the introduction of credit insurance is a further step in this direction of an emerging economic activity.
Also, he said the partnership gives Ghana an opportunity to be placed on international financial market and that the partnership is an additional impetus for companies to look to Ghana looking at the insurance market.
“We at Activa are committed to providing credit insurance security, world-class services and solutions to clients in the insurance market. Quiet recently we were involved in sponsoring a road safety programme as an element of our corporate social responsibility. We as the insurance sub-sector will continue to contribute our quota in projecting the image of Ghana and improving the economy,” he added.
The Director General, Coface Services Maghreb, Mr Jean-Marc Pons said Coface choose to partner Activa because of its expert and world-class insurance services and coverage across 34 countries in Africa.
He said Coface helps companies evaluate and mitigate risks by proposing its assessments of country, sectoral and credit risk. The credit control insurance provides a solution to protect a company against customer default at any time and will be able to redeem in case of customer default.
The Regional Sales Manager, Maghreb, West and Central Africa of Coface, Mr Bagneki Hugues Olivier explained since trade receivables is an important asset of a company, the credit insurance provides a protection as companies can use it as a risk management tool to rectify bad debt collection.
A partnership agreement between the two companies has consequently been signed to that effect and the product is expected to fuel economic activity by facilitating access to bank loans for businesses in Ghana and to the receivables purchase facilities offered by banks.
Activa is a member of the Pan-African insurance group, Group Activa Assurance while the Coface Group is a worldwide leader in credit insurance.
The Managing Director of ACII Ghana, Mr Steve Kyerematen at the signing ceremony in Accra said the partnership is in line with series of innovations Activa had brought to the insurance market in Ghana.
He said Activa had provided a wide range of general insurance products and some niche products including Assets Mark III policy (a policy that combines 20 optional covers both personal and commercial lines including property, business interruption, liability and transit covers). Products like medical malpractice, clinical trials, directors and officers’ liability are also available.
Mr Kyerematen noted Ghana has done a lot to achieve lower middle income status and the nature and character of the economy is also evolving, especially with credit control, therefore the introduction of credit insurance is a further step in this direction of an emerging economic activity.
Also, he said the partnership gives Ghana an opportunity to be placed on international financial market and that the partnership is an additional impetus for companies to look to Ghana looking at the insurance market.
“We at Activa are committed to providing credit insurance security, world-class services and solutions to clients in the insurance market. Quiet recently we were involved in sponsoring a road safety programme as an element of our corporate social responsibility. We as the insurance sub-sector will continue to contribute our quota in projecting the image of Ghana and improving the economy,” he added.
The Director General, Coface Services Maghreb, Mr Jean-Marc Pons said Coface choose to partner Activa because of its expert and world-class insurance services and coverage across 34 countries in Africa.
He said Coface helps companies evaluate and mitigate risks by proposing its assessments of country, sectoral and credit risk. The credit control insurance provides a solution to protect a company against customer default at any time and will be able to redeem in case of customer default.
The Regional Sales Manager, Maghreb, West and Central Africa of Coface, Mr Bagneki Hugues Olivier explained since trade receivables is an important asset of a company, the credit insurance provides a protection as companies can use it as a risk management tool to rectify bad debt collection.
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