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President John Dramani Mahama is scheduled to open the one-day annual Ghana Economic Outlook and Business Strategy Conference (EOBS 2016) at the Tang Hotel in Accra on 20th January, 2016 which will be attended by top Ghanaian and foreign industrialists, business-persons and investors from all parts of the world.

Themed "Industrialisation: The Impetus for Ghana's Economic Growth," EOBS 2016 involves a keynote address, individual presentations, panel discussions and networking opportunities which will focus on the multi-faceted aspects of industrialisation. President Mahama will deliver the keynote address while personalities like Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Dr Micheal Agyekum Addo, CEO of the Kama Group, and Mrs Valentina Mintah, CEO of West Blue will make presentations and moderate the panels.

Leading government officials, captains of industry, policy- and decision-makers, experts, civil society organisations, politicians, foreign businesses and investors, development partners and the diplomatic community, among others, will attend EOBS 2016 and discuss issues emanating from the main theme.

“EOBS 2016 is conceptualised to create the platform for the public and private sectors, industries, foreign investors, academia and other stakeholders to meet and deliberate on the ideas, issues and practices that will help Ghana to industrialise and become a fully-fledged middle income country.

The EOBS series started four years ago and we have managed to sustain it yearly in January when most business people and investors have returned to work from the long festive break,” says Mr Kwadwo Asumaning, Chairman of African Business Media (ABM) Ltd., organisers of the conference and publishers of the award-winning Ghana Business & Finance magazine.

“The EOBS series provides business and networking opportunities for local participants and foreign delegates who are seeking to take advantage of the country’s vast potentials. The previous conferences have benefited the government, business community, academia and business students who obtained invaluable practical information.

EOBS has also created a platform for the government to gather feedback from participants on the implementation of some recommended policies in the sectors discussed. ABM will continue the yearly event for the benefit of Mother Ghana and we hope our sponsors and partners will continue to support us to grow from strength to strength,” Mr Asumaning added.

EOBS 2016 aims to create a conducive forum where key government officials, policy- and decision- makers, the private sector, experts and other stakeholders will address Ghana’s delay in implementing the initiatives in the 2011 Industrial Policy; discuss in a frank manner the role of the stakeholders in achieving the main goals outlined in the Industrial Policy; identify and agree on ways and means of increasing the country’s energy supply to boost industrial development and expansion; and create an avenue where local manufacturers can interact with foreign business owners and investors in a bid to explore and exploit opportunities for investments, partnerships and business in general, among others.

EOBS 2016 is targeted at the government, public export promotion agencies, industrialists, manufacturers, local investors, exporters, development partners, the commercial departments of embassies and High Commissions, banks, non-banking financial institutions and civil society organisations.

The partners of EOBS 2016 include the Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund (EDAIF), Ghana Free Zones Board, Association of Ghanaian Industries (AGI), Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Embassy of China, the European Union Delegation to Ghana, German-Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Association of Ghanaian Bankers.