Accra, Nov. 19, GNA - The maiden edition of Business Advocacy Challe= nge (BUSAC) Fund ends within the next six weeks, after the disbursement of ab= out 8.2 million dollars in 360 grants for business advocacy in Ghana. "There is no more money in the Fund to be disbursed," Dr. Dale Rachmeler, Fund Manager told the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

Speaking at the launch of Journalists for Business Advocacy (JBA), Dr. Rachmeler said over the past five years, the fund had supported busin= ess associations, the media and trade unions to undertake effective business advocacy. The fund was jointly established by USAID, DANIDA and DFID in 2004 t= o build the capacities of business associations, the media and trade unions= to undertake effective business advocacy through dialogue with policymakers to influence national policies that would favour businesses, particularly sm= all and medium scale enterprises (SMEs).

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) received GHC882, 000 from th= e Fund to organise business advocacy in the media. Dr. Rachmeler said BUSAC Fund One would end by December 31, and BUSA= C Fund Two estimated at about 16 million dollars would begin in March 2010 for another five years. He said the European Union had joined the three original sponsors of=

BUSAC One for BUSAC Two under a new management to improve on the success of BUSAC One. "BUSAC Two would focus on building the capacities of business

associations to deepen their advocacy role. I hope I would be appointed t= o manage BUSAC Two to release more money for advocacy, "he said.

Dr. Rachmeler commended the National Executive Committee of GJA, for=

achieving tangible results and making significant impact with the GHC882,=

000 grant received from the fund, in the short, medium and long term. "The GJA has demonstrated its mastery of advocacy unlike the other institutions that were assisted because it takes time to master advocacy to become effective to change the Ghanaian private business sector," he said= .. The GJA in collaboration with KAB Governance Consult managed to sust= ain business advocacy in the media through media discussion programmes and sponsored publications and discussions on business advocacy in the media. These are, the Business Advocate, a discussion programme on Ghana Television (GTV) and "Edwumapaye" on Adom FM and its 16 affiliated statio= ns. Dr. Rachmeler commended Mr. Bright Blewu, GJA General Secretary and Mr. Kwesi Afriyie Badu, Chief Executive Officer of KAB Consult for their effo= rts on business advocacy in the media. Mr. John Gyetuah, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, expressed appreciation to the management of BUSAC Fund and GJA for deepening busine= ss advocacy in the country, particularly encouraging small businesses to dialogue with policy makers to ensure national policy addressed the needs= of SMEs. He noted that the objective of BUSAC and GJA were in consonance with=

government's agenda of investing in people, jobs creation and the economy= , adding "it is government's desire that the efforts by the media were bein= g realised in enhancing the competitiveness of local industries". "BUSAC has been able to administer advocacy services to the doorstep= s of business associations to re-orient their operations to deliver the requisite services needed to support the growth and development of SMEs,"= he said. Mr. Gyetuah said that the Ministry had developed the Ghana Trade Policy, under which a five-year Trade Sector Support Programme targeting 27 projects would be assisted including SME support. However, he said SMEs could qualify for support when they had good corporate governance and gave the assurance that the Ministry would facto= r recommendations by media advocates into its policies and programmes to ensure the development of SMEs. 19 Nov. 09

NSOC 21 Social Vodafone Winners Vodafone presents house to winner

Accra, Nov. 19, GNA - Vodafone Ghana, on Thursday presented the one million-dollar ultimate prize package in its three-month "Vodafone Reward= s" Promotion to Mr Francis Agbovito, the winner. Mr Agbovito, a 37 year-old carpenter from Tabora, a suburb of Accra, is the proud owner of a fully furnished four-bedroom house number 220 Tarico= ne Drive, Trassaco Valley in Accra. His prize package also included a 4x4 Mitsubishi Pajero with a drive= r for three months and one-year free internet connectivity. "This is just by the grace of God," Francis said, as he took deliver= y of the keys to his brand new mansion. Later when he took delivery of the keys to his new 4x4 luxury car, h= e said, "I believe in Vodafone and I trust that whatever Vodafone promises they deliver - I'll continue to use Vodafone for the rest of my life." Mr Agbovito, a father of two, and his wife, Charity, said they would=

move into the house "today" and later think of what to do with it. Meanwhile, family members of Francis who came to see their relative take delivery of the mansion brought their luggage along with them. "We are here to stay," one of his brothers told GNA. already in the fray, trying to help Mr Agbovitor manage his new property. Mr Agbovito also hinted that he would use resources from the house t= o build three other houses, one in his hometown, one in his wife's hometown=

and one in Accra. But he did not say whether he would sell or rent the house out.

Mr Agbovito won the ultimate prize with one of the new phone numbers=

that Vodafone sold at their entry into the market. The Vodafone Rewards Promotion had run for the past three months and=

given away 900 mobile phones, 30 scholarships worth GH¢2,000 each, 12 motorbikes, 15 laptops and 150 ipods, all worth a total of $2.2 million, and the ultimate reward. Mr David Venn, Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Ghana, who presen= ted the keys to Mr Agbovito, said Vodafone was excited to change the lives of=

subscribers like Francis and the other winners.

"Francis is free to do anything with the house from today - we, and I am sure all Ghanaians, are waiting to see what Francis does with it," he said. He said Vodafone was here to set the pace for its competitors to follow, adding "we have delivered on our promises and we can only tell Ghanaians to watch this space for what comes up next from Vodafone." Mr Kobina Quansah, Board Chairman of Vodafone, advised Mr Agbovitor to manage his newly found wealth judiciously and bequeath a good inheritance=

for his children. Other winners who were presented with prizes were Mr. Kwesi Amponsah=

from Kumasi, who won a Mitsubishi 4x4 Pajero, Mr Abraham Dsane and Mr Vic= tor Ofori-Akonor, GH¢2,000 scholarships each. Mr Dsane said he would use the money to buy laptops and one year internet connectivity for Young Royals Academy at Tantra Hill, where he i= s a director and Mr. Ofori-Akonor said he would use the money to pay the fees= of his two children attending university. Mr. Amponsah said people did not believe that his prize was genuine but "I am driving to Kumasi today to show them the car so they can believe in=

the genuineness of Vodafone".