The Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, Ron Strikker, has paid a courtesy call on management of the Business and Financial Times to discuss issues of mutual interest.
Ambassador Ron Strikker expressed that Ghana and The Netherlands have shared strong bilateral relations for many years, and therefore they are committed to promoting productivity and growth in the development of Ghana – especially in the area of agriculture.
He said: “We want to promote productivity of the agricultural sector and promote green production in Ghana. We want to do this by supporting various entrepreneurs, especially in this sector, for sustainability”.
The Ambassador emphasised the importance of sustainable projects, and revealed that his outfit has over the years supported entrepreneurs with some grants, with primary focus on growth and sustainability.
He expressed that the embassy’s commitment to business growth and self-sufficiency ties into government’s agenda of ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’. “In the next decade, we want to help grow the agricultural sector because that is our area of strength and expertise; and we will work together with the private sector, including the media.”
Mr. Strikker expressed appreciation for the consistent, prompt delivery of the Business and Financial Times newspaper to his outfit, adding that the newspaper has broadened his horizon on Ghana’s macro and micro-economic landscape.
“We look forward to continuous cooperation between Denmark and Ghana, and also with the Business and Financial Times. We will do our best to maintain and develop this relationship,” he assured.
On her part, Board Chair for the Business and Financial Times Dr. Edith Dankwa thanked the Ambassador for the visit, assuring him of a stronger relationship.
She introduced the Ambassador to various events spearheaded by the Business and Financial Times, which cut across various sectors such as banking and finance, entrepreneurship, agriculture, oil and gas, technology, economy and policy.
These events include the Ghana Economic Forum; the Ghana’s Most Respected CEOs Breakfast series; the Ghana Energy Summit; the Money Summit; the Ghana SME summit; and the Digital Webinar.
Dr. Dankwa revealed that this year the Business and Financial Times will be hosting an Agricultural summit. She said: “This Agricultural summit is aimed at bringing together industry players, both in Ghana and from across the world, to deliberate on the best practices for our agriculture sector, so as to encourage more people to venture into the space especially the youth; and to find practical solutions for some of the pertinent issues in the sector”.
Dr. Dankwa emphasised that the Business and Financial Times is committed to hosting solution-based events which contribute to changing policies, as well as introducing new ones to transform the economy’s various sectors.
“Our aim is to contribute in the developmental agenda of this country, and our programmes help produce tailor-made solutions for the problems we face in our economy,” said Dr Dankwa.
The discussions between the two entities also touched on introduction of the Right to Information Act. The Ambassador applauded the country for a timely implementation of the Act, noting that it will go a long way in contributing to press freedom in the country.
In his concluding remarks, Mr. Strikker took the opportunity to introduce some of The Netherlands’ entrepreneurial training programmes and events. These include the Orange Corners – a six-month acceleration programme that focuses on enabling the youth to develop their existing companies by providing them with the necessary opportunities, skills and access to capital and markets.
He encouraged interested entrepreneurs to follow the activities of The Netherlands on social media and their websites, in order to get a chance to participate when the announcement for new cohorts are made.
