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Image source: Michigan Chronicle
Michigan Chronicle
June 26, 2024
Ghana’s Ambassador, His Excellency Hajiya Arima Mahama, recently visited Detroit to participate in the Global Business Summit. The event, themed “Exploring Ghana’s Golden Opportunities,” was organized by Detroit Equity. Dr. Adrienne Booth Johnson and Attorney Joe Johnson of Infinity Global Connections assisted in organizing the event.
The purpose of the summit is to connect Detroit businesses with Ghanaian public and private entities in need of goods and services. The event was the brainchild of Bishop Edgar Vann, CEO of Detroit Equity, and Ambassador Mahama. The two expressed a shared interest in promoting business opportunities between Detroit and Ghana. Ambassador Mahama expressed how impressed she was with the city she fondly calls “The D.” Her Excellency also expressed the warm welcome she received in Detroit and how she felt at home.
When asked about his motivation for leading the campaign, Bishop Vann said, “Detroit Equity wants to promote equity by insisting on opportunities from majority companies and creating opportunities for us.”
“From the outset of this event, we made it clear that we wanted clear, measurable outcomes,” said Attorney Bertram Marks, COO and General Counsel of Detroit Equity. Attorney Marks continued, “We (Detroit Equity) will serve as a validator of the progress made by this partnership. We will track the types, amounts, and volume of contracts awarded to Detroit businesses. We will also evaluate and report on those deals that did not materialize and why. Finally, we will serve as a convener, introducing capable businesses to entities in Ghana that need goods, supplies, and services.”
While creating business opportunities for vendors and service providers, Detroit Equity and the Ambassador’s Office immediately began the process of developing a student and intern exchange program.
In his speech to the participants, Mahama said that Ghana has 1.4 billion consumers and a GDP of US$3.4 trillion, and as the economy grows rapidly, Ghana also needs talent.
At the summit, which was sponsored in part by Bedrock, Skillman, DEGC, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Huntington Bank, Ambassador Mahama encouraged attendees to discard old stereotypes about Africa in general and Ghana in particular. “We are a very stable democracy and we are open for business.”
Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of Detroit Electric, was one of the featured speakers at the summit, and announced that Detroit Electric would begin the process of establishing a “sister city” relationship between Detroit and Accra, Ghana’s capital and largest city.
The summit covered a range of topics, including regulatory requirements for doing business overseas, overcoming cultural and language barriers, and a panel discussion moderated by Eve Lerman, a senior international trade specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Lerman moderated a discussion with business leaders WE Da’Cruz and Richard Digue. Both Da’Cruz and Digue have done business in Ghana and other countries around the world.
Marks encouraged attendees to “stay tuned,” as Detroit Equity plans to report regularly on the progress of the Ghana-Detroit partnership as the transaction progresses.
To learn more about Detroit Equity Corporation, visit www.DetroitEquityInc.org.
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