The current political development in Côte d’Ivoire, and the manner in which it will be resolved, will serve as either a clear indication of how tenuous the democratic process still is on the African continent, or a joyous testament to how far the continent has traveled in its promotion of peace and advancement. - Wednesday 22 December 2010

Much of the world’s future craving for chocolate will be met by cocoa farmers in Ghana planting cacao trees today. Mars Incorporated — a U.S.-based company that makes Snickers, the world’s biggest-selling candy bar, and other confectionary treats — supports the Sustainable Tree Crops Program in West and Central Africa. - Saturday 18 December 2010

Following the start of commercial production of oil off its southwest coast, Ghanaian decision makers, their partners and international investors will meet once again at The Ghana Summit in April 2011 to discuss developments and future opportunities in Ghana’s oil industry. Key decision makers from currently the West Africa’s hottest oil and gas producing country will discuss legal and fiscal issues, how to maximize revenue as well as local content and increase investments in the country. - Friday 17 December 2010

In the mid-1990s, as the use of mobile phones spread in much of the developed world, few thought of Africa as a potential market. Now, with more than 400 million subscribers, its market is larger than North America’s and is growing faster than in any other region. - Wednesday 15 December 2010

I recently delivered two lectures on the Effective Utilization of Oil Revenue, Transparency and Accountability and Local Content issues at the annual conferences of the Institute of Chartered Bankers of Ghana and the Institute of Chartered Economists of Ghana on November 23, 2010 and December 3, 2010. Thursday December 3, 2010 respectively. - Wednesday 8 December 2010

I have seen too many things that are so hard to say: A woman with severe high blood pressure, who against her doctor’s advice, slept only four hours a day because she must stay up and pray six hours every night with three different prayer groups. She caught stroke in the middle of prayers one dawn and never recovered. Too late to apply commonsense! - Tuesday 7 December 2010

Two decades ago, the rest of the world saw Africa as a hopeless continent. Today Ghana is one of Africa’s success stories. Its economy, spurred by a thriving private sector, has grown on average by over 6 percent a year for the past five years. A significant part of this growth has been fueled by the success of the country’s palm oil industry, with over 300,000 hectares of land currently under cultivation. - Wednesday 1 December 2010

A growing number of sub-Saharan African countries – South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and more recently, Ghana – now require that the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card in a mobile phone be tied to the user’s name. The main reason: to combat crime. But I am afraid that with its narrow rationale and focus, this exercise misses the big picture; i.e., a golden opportunity to develop a good database that could become the building blocks for stronger institutions and economic transformation. - Saturday 6 November 2010

If imitation is the measure of success then I am a genius, a paraphrased quote from Oscar Wilde credits mavericks and loners whose behaviour sparks imitations from copycats. Now the famed bohemian’s assertions might have been self serving but could also be a viable benchmark for unparalleled human achievement. - Monday 1 November 2010

Zimbabwe’s First Lady Grace Mugabe’s inexhaustible extra-marital affairs seem to be claiming more lives with the latest being her husband bodyguard, senior police commissioner Cain Chademana. - Tuesday 26 October 2010