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An International Arbitrator and Paramount Chief of Asante Asokore, Nana Susubiribi Krobea Asante, has stated that defective negotiations and administration of international contracts and transactions is a major cause of �judgement debts�. He said flawed negotiations and management of international transactions had the tendency to be a drain on resources procured from development partners. According to Nana Dr Asante, a well negotiated transaction would not be meaningful unless it was administered effectively, and called for meticulous implementation of provisions in international transactions or contracts. �Many of the problems relating to �judgement debts� and international liability derive from a failure to implement transactions effectively�, he said. Nana Asante made these remarks at the launch of the �Nana S.K.B. Asante Centre on International transactions� in Accra last Friday. Functions of the centre The centre, established by the Almond Institute, formerly Graduate School of Governance and Leadership (GSGL), has the functions of storing copies of various international business transactions, such as international joint ventures, supply contracts, procurement contracts, technology transfer agreements and construction agreements. The centre would also organise seminars on the agreements for government officials, private sector executives and would also provide advisory services in the negotiation and implementation of the above agreements. Private sector Stressing the need for actors in the private sector to acquire knowledge in international transactions, Nana Dr Asante said Ghana as a petroleum producing country, required executives and personnel of Ghanaian companies to be well equipped to negotiate effectively with foreign companies. �The spin off effects of foreign investment, the strengthening of local private sector and the realisation of our local content objectives in the petroleum industry would be illusory, unless the captains of industry in this country acquired the armoury of sophisticated negotiating techniques�, he added. Almond Institute The Founder of Almond Institute, Bishop Gideon Titi-Ofei, said the experience of Dr Asante would enhance the knowledge of leaders when dealing with international transactions. He said the Almond Institute, through its graduation division, GSGL, had trained over 11,000 leaders and added that the institute was committed to training more leaders to facilitate development in the country. The launch also saw 143 students being awarded certificates from the Graduate School of Governance and Leadership, a subsidiary of the Almond Institute and the International Organisation for Capacity Building. Success of Graphic Using the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) as an example, the Managing Director of the GCCL, Mr Kenneth Ashigbey, advised graduands to adopt and institute innovative ideas that would make their businesses and initiatives relevant and successful. �It is no wonder, therefore, that the company continues to ensure that it is always technologically ahead in the industry in Ghana. It currently uses a KBA Comet Press, which cuts out the use of films in the printing process to reduce printing time. It has the capacity to print 75,000 copies in an hour in full colour. Graphic is one of the only three companies in Africa that uses this modern press. The remaining two are in South Africa and Kenya,� he said. Mr Ashigbey also advised the graduands to adopt democratic leadership styles saying that �at Graphic, top managers and teams agree on outcomes together; they as much as possible collaborate to reach a common goal�.