US embassy cable - 04ACCRA2384

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 002384 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, EFIN, EMIN, GH, OPIC, economy 
SUBJECT: GHANA: ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS NOVEMBER 2004 
 
 
1.  This report covers noteworthy economic events and 
activities in Ghana for November 2004. The issues covered 
are: 
 
-- Ambassador Hosts AmCham Breakfast 
-- Fitch and Standard and Poor's Reaffirm Ghana Ratings 
-- World Bank Approves West Africa Gas Pipeline Project 
-- President Kufuor Opens Coca-Cola's New Line 
-- Political Parties' Economic Platforms 
-- Newmont Mining Company's Resettlement Snag 
-- World Bank to Reward Entrepreneurial Standouts 
 
Ambassador Hosts AmCham Breakfast 
---------------------------------- 
2. The Ambassador hosted a breakfast for members of the 
American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) on November 18.  AmCham 
members asked questions of a panel made up of the Ambassador, 
DCM, Econ, PAO, FCS and RSO.  Questions and comments focused 
on Amcham member's desire for greater USG and donor nation 
involvement to counter corruption and improve the investment 
climate. Members also stressed the need for more cooperation 
with Post on security issues, highlighting various 
difficulties ex-patriots without diplomatic credentials face 
in Ghana.  RSO invited members to a meeting of the Overseas 
Security Advisory Council (OSAC) on December 1 to discuss 
these issues in detail.  EconChief encouraged Amcham members 
to document and report specific cases of corruption to the 
Economic section. 
 
Fitch and Standard and Poor's Reaffirm Ghana Ratings 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
3. FitchRatings and Standard and Poor's (SP's) issued the 
results of their annual reviews of Ghana's sovereign credit 
ratings, with both reaffirming their original ratings 
assigned in August/September 2003.  SP's announced its rating 
of B plus/stable/B for long and short-term foreign and local 
currency ratings, citing a "relatively stable political 
environment, strong external liquidity, underpinned by 
current account surpluses and healthy reserves, and moderate 
net public external debt and debt service payments."  Fitch 
retained long-term foreign and local currency ratings of "B" 
with a Positive Outlook, citing the Kufuor administration's 
commitment to macro stabilization and reform. 
 
4. Fitch's statement explains that completion of the December 
elections without policy-induced macroeconomic instability 
and significant external debt relief through the HIPC 
framework are factors that could translate the positive 
outlook into a ratings upgrade.  SP's cautioned that weak 
fiscal flexibility and expenditure management, high general 
(domestic) government debt, and low level of economic 
development were concerns.  Fitch also notes that soaring oil 
prices had increased Ghana's trade deficit and were putting 
mounting pressure on GoG finances due to its refusal to 
eliminate or reduce price subsidies. 
 
World Bank Approves West Africa Gas Pipeline (WAGP) Project 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
5. The World Bank Board of Directors announced November 23 
that it had approved USD 125 million in guarantees for the 
WAGP project.  The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency 
(MIGA) will provide USD 75 million political risk insurance 
to guarantee 90 percent of Ghana's USD 83 million equity 
investment.  The International Development Association (IDA) 
is providing a USD 50 million partial risk guarantee, 
ensuring Ghana's gas purchase payments.  The World Bank's 
11/23 press release calls WAGP a "flagship project" in the 
push to accelerate ECOWAS economic integration, complements 
the West African Power Pool (WAPP) project, and is a NEPAD 
action plan.  The press release also emphasizes that WAGP 
will "provide cheap, efficient, and environmentally friendly 
fuel to the consuming countries, which will lower the cost of 
power in these countries and improve the competitiveness of 
goods and services." 
 
President Kufuor Opens Coca-Cola's New Line 
------------------------------------------- 
6. On November 16 the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana 
Limited's (TCCBCGL) celebrated the opening of its new 48,000 
bottle per hour line in Accra.  President Kufuor personally 
presided over the ceremonies, pressing the button to start 
the USD 9 million investment.  Kufuor also praised Coco-Cola 
for its USD 1.7 million investment in water treatment 
facilities for its plants in Accra and Kumasi.  The 
Ambassador and executives from Coca-Cola's West Africa team 
also attended.  Company engineers told EconOff they worked 
through the night to ensure the fully automated equipment 
would start without a hitch. 
 
7. Since the company was privatized in 1995, TCCBCGL has 
invested USD 82 million in Ghana.  Its production has grown 
from 3 million cases to more than 18 million and it is 
estimated the company has created, directly and indirectly, 
about 30,000 jobs.  This latest line increases TCCBCGL 
production by almost 20 percent and comes only two years 
after the installation of a similar line in Accra.  EconOff 
observed uncommonly high employee morale and dedication to 
TCCBCGL's GM Segun Ogunsanya.  Employees credited Ogunsanya 
with blending training, incentives, delegation and a sense of 
community to create a company atmosphere that is unique in 
Ghana. 
 
Political Parties' Economic Platforms 
------------------------------------- 
8. The Ghana Journalists Association, with U.S. Embassy 
sponsorship (through Public Affairs), hosted a series of 
dialogues between the media and political parties leading up 
to the December 7 election.  The topic of the November 23 
seminar was the economy, unemployment and poverty reduction. 
Summaries of the main political parties' economic platforms 
follow: 
 
9. NPP:  Deputy Finance Minister Ashong, representing the 
NPP, stated that it was important to maintain a solid 
macroeconomic environment, with sustainable inflation levels, 
lower interest rates, and higher growth.  He said the NPP 
would generate employment by increasing cocoa production, 
developing infrastructure, supporting small and medium 
enterprises, and funding Presidential Special Initiatives. 
 
10. NDC:  The NDC representative stated that the NDC's 
platform of social democracy means empowering Ghana to 
discharge collective welfare.  The NDC would support 
agriculture, industrial technology and agro-processing, 
reduce unemployment with construction and training 
opportunities, provide low-fee housing and medical facilities 
for street traders, reduce taxes, guarantee universal 
education, and decentralize government. 
 
11. PNC:  The PNC representative stated that the PNC is 
committed to self-reliance and economic prosperity now, not 
10 years out.  The PNC wants to cap government spending, 
reduce official corruption and avoid dependence on donors. 
The PNC proposes an economic stimulus package of USD 25 
billion, with USD 2 billion to agriculture, but the 
representative did not explain how the PNC would fund this 
program (nor did he explain the contradiction with the PNC's 
goal of capping spending).  The PNC also wants to limit 
export of raw materials and build a gold refinery in Ghana. 
 
Newmont Mining Company's Resettlement Snag 
------------------------------------------ 
12. At a forum organized by Ghana's Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) to assess Newmont Ghana Limited's mining project 
in Brong Ahafo region, a Member of Ghana's National 
Parliament criticized Newmont's efforts to resettle people 
displaced by the company's mining operations.  The MP charged 
that the new houses are inadequate, with rooms too small to 
accommodate large families.  He demanded they be modified. 
Newmont officials say the buildings are being constructed 
according to national building codes, but agreed to discuss 
the issue with the consultative committee, made up of 
representatives of the community and several regulatory 
bodies.  Privately, Newmont officials informed Econoff that 
they were already considering increasing the size of the 
houses. 
 
World Bank to Reward Entrepreneurial Standouts 
--------------------------------------------- - 
13. The World Bank, through the Ghana Development Marketplace 
(GDM) program, is ready to provide 4.5 billion cedis (USD 
500,000) to support 20 entrepreneurs in Ghana.  The amount 
will be disbursed as prizes for the 20 best business 
development plans designed by Ghanaian entrepreneurs.  Mats 
Karlsson, World Bank Country Director, announced that the 
program is designed to tap innovative energies across 
Ghanaian society.  He said since 1998 the Development 
Marketplace program has given out more than USD 25 million 
dollars to support more than 500 innovative projects through 
global and country-level competitions. 
 
YATES