Ghana Fund — Industrial Excursion

GHANA FUND

INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL EXCURSION PROGRAMME

GHANA FUND

INDUSTRIAL EXCURSION

International Industrial Exposure • Business Development • Investment Opportunities

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Ghana Fund Programme

GHANA FUND INDUSTRIAL EXCURSION PROGRAMME

Comprehensive Policy, Operating Framework and Delegate Guide

Introduction

The Ghana Fund Industrial Excursion Programme is a structured international industrial exposure and business-development programme established to enable Ghanaian entrepreneurs, professionals, investors, government officials, researchers, technical personnel and other qualified participants to travel to major industrial economies, observe successful industrial and commercial operations, establish direct institutional and business relationships, identify technologies and production systems, and return to Ghana with practical opportunities capable of being developed into operating enterprises.

The programme is deliberately different from an ordinary study tour, sightseeing tour or conventional business trip.

An Industrial Excursion is an organised industrial-development mission. Its principal purpose is to expose delegates to actual operating industries, technologies, factories, production systems, commercial organisations, infrastructure, management systems, distribution networks, research institutions, training institutions and investment opportunities, and to convert that exposure into tangible industrial and commercial activity in Ghana.

The International-to-Ghana Bridge

The programme creates a bridge between international industrial capability and Ghanaian enterprise development. Where a delegate identifies an industry, product, technology, franchise, manufacturing process, distribution opportunity or service business during an excursion, Ghana Fund may assist the delegate after returning to Ghana in developing that opportunity into an operating business, subject to applicable requirements, commercial viability and the availability of appropriate financing or support.

Three Connected Stages

01 / PRE-EXCURSION

Pre-Excursion Preparation

Identifying objectives, preparing delegates and establishing appointments before departure.

02 / INTERNATIONAL

International Industrial Excursion

Visiting and engaging directly with relevant institutions, companies and industrial facilities.

03 / IMPLEMENTATION

Post-Excursion Industrialisation Support

Assisting delegates to convert identified opportunities into actual businesses, industries, investments, employment and production in Ghana.

The Industrial Excursion Development Pipeline

Exposure→ Identification→ Relationship→ Planning→ Establishment→ Production→ Marketing→ Expansion

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INDUSTRIAL EXCURSION PROGRAMME

The programme is structured around practical industrial exposure, relationship building, technology and investment identification, and productive implementation in Ghana.

Principal Purpose

The principal purpose of the Industrial Excursion Programme is to facilitate the transfer of practical industrial knowledge, technology, commercial relationships and investment opportunities from established international markets into Ghana.

The programme seeks to expose participants to countries that have demonstrated significant capabilities in manufacturing, agriculture, engineering, technology, logistics, transportation, construction, finance, healthcare, energy, tourism, marine industries, aviation, automotive production and other productive sectors.

Specific Objectives

Expose delegates to successful industrial enterprises.

Identify industries capable of being established in Ghana.

Identify products that can be manufactured locally.

Identify technologies suitable for Ghanaian conditions.

Establish relationships between Ghanaian delegates and foreign companies.

Facilitate technology-transfer arrangements.

Identify potential franchise opportunities.

Identify potential joint-venture opportunities.

Identify machinery and equipment suppliers.

Identify potential investors and financing partners.

Identify international markets for Ghanaian products.

Develop Ghanaian technical and managerial capacity.

Expose delegates to efficient production systems.

Expose delegates to quality-control systems.

Expose delegates to modern marketing and distribution systems.

Expose delegates to industrial management practices.

Identify opportunities for import substitution.

Identify opportunities for export-oriented production.

Identify opportunities for value addition to Ghanaian raw materials.

Encourage the establishment of productive enterprises in Ghana.

Ultimate Objective: productive implementation, rather than travel itself.

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02 / Development Instrument

THE INDUSTRIAL EXCURSION AS A DEVELOPMENT INSTRUMENT

An Industrial Excursion shall be regarded as an instrument for economic and industrial development. A successful excursion should therefore answer five fundamental questions:

2.1 / OBSERVE

What was observed?

The delegate should understand the technology, production process, business model, management structure, market and infrastructure observed.

2.2 / REPLICATE

What can be replicated?

The delegate should identify those elements that could reasonably be introduced into Ghana.

2.3 / ESTABLISH

What is required to establish it?

The delegate should determine the land, buildings, machinery, technology, personnel, financing, licences, raw materials, utilities, logistics and other requirements.

2.4 / CONNECT

Who can assist?

The delegate should identify potential foreign technical partners, suppliers, investors, licensors, franchise owners, manufacturers or institutions.

2.5 / ACT

What happens after returning to Ghana?

The excursion should result in a concrete post-excursion action plan.

Accordingly, delegates should not return merely with photographs, brochures or business cards. They should return with identified opportunities and actionable relationships.

TYPES OF INDUSTRIAL EXCURSIONS

TWO PRINCIPAL CATEGORIES

CATEGORY A

Fixed Date Excursions

An excursion for which the dates are established and published in advance by Ghana Fund.

CATEGORY B

Floating Date Excursions

An excursion whose date is established after the required minimum number of delegates has registered and satisfied the applicable payment conditions.

The two categories serve different purposes and operate under different participation requirements.

FIXED DATE EXCURSION

CATEGORY A

Definition

A Fixed Date Excursion is an Industrial Excursion for which the dates are established and published in advance by Ghana Fund. The date of departure, destination, duration and general programme are predetermined. Delegates who register for a Fixed Date Excursion must make themselves available for the published dates.

Fixed Dates

Once a Fixed Date Excursion has been officially announced:

The departure date is fixed.

The return date is fixed.

The principal destination is fixed.

The duration is fixed.

The general itinerary is established.

The principal industrial objectives are established.

Delegates are expected to participate during the prescribed period.

Alternative dates cannot ordinarily be selected for the same excursion.

If a delegate cannot travel on the published dates, the delegate may be required to transfer to another scheduled excursion, subject to availability and applicable terms.

Minimum Participation

15 delegates + accompanying officials

A Fixed Date Excursion shall ordinarily require a minimum of 15 delegates + accompanying officials.

The 15 delegates constitute the minimum paying/participating delegate group, while officials accompanying the delegation are additional to the minimum delegate number.

The actual number of officials may vary according to the requirements of the destination, programme and delegation.

Purpose of Fixed Date Excursions

Fixed Date Excursions are designed principally to achieve specific industrial objectives. Examples may include:

Automotive manufacturing

Aircraft manufacturing

Shipbuilding

Railway manufacturing

Medical equipment manufacturing

Food processing

Agricultural mechanisation

Electronics

Semiconductor production

Construction technology

Renewable energy

Logistics

Industrial-city development

Pharmaceutical production

Textile manufacturing

Machinery manufacturing

Mining technology

Marine industries

Tourism infrastructure

The programme is consequently developed around the industrial objective rather than around general tourism.

Programme Structure

01Arrival and orientation

02Official briefing

03Industrial site visits

04Factory visits

05Meetings with company executives

06Technical presentations

07Demonstrations

08Institutional visits

09Commercial meetings

10Government or diplomatic engagements where appropriate

11Conferences or lectures

12Networking events

13Business-to-business meetings

14Investment discussions

15Evaluation of opportunities

16Departure and return to Ghana

The programme may be modified where necessary to accommodate the operational requirements of host institutions.

FLOATING DATE EXCURSION

CATEGORY B

Definition

A Floating Date Excursion is an excursion whose date is not fixed when the programme is first opened for registration. Instead, the date is established after the required minimum number of delegates has registered and satisfied the applicable payment conditions.

The central feature: The delegates determine when the excursion becomes operationally viable.

Minimum Participation

7 delegates + officials

The seven delegates constitute the minimum participating group. Officials are additional to the seven delegates.

Establishment of the Date

The date shall be fixed once the minimum required number of delegates has been attained and the necessary arrangements can reasonably be secured. Before fixing the date, Ghana Fund may consider:

Availability of delegates

Availability of host companies

Availability of factories

Diplomatic or government appointments

Conference schedules

Travel requirements

Visa considerations

Accommodation

Internal transportation

Industrial appointment availability

Seasonal considerations

Public holidays in destination country

Other operational requirements

The objective is to ensure that the date selected provides the best possible industrial programme.

DELEGATE-DRIVEN FLOATING EXCURSIONS

TAILORED INDUSTRIAL MISSIONS

The Floating Date Excursion is particularly suitable where delegates have specific industrial or commercial interests. The programme is therefore developed substantially according to the appointments sought by the delegates.

Potential Appointments

Automobile manufacturers

Machinery manufacturers

Agricultural equipment manufacturers

Pharmaceutical companies

Food-processing companies

Construction companies

Technology companies

Logistics companies

Investment institutions

Franchise owners

Distributors

Engineering firms

Research institutions

Universities

Training institutions

Government agencies

Export organisations

Ghana Fund shall then seek to structure the excursion around the strongest combination of requested appointments.

Tailored Excursion

A Floating Date Excursion may therefore be highly customised. For example, a group of seven Ghanaian entrepreneurs travelling to India may request:

Illustrative India delegation requirement

Three pharmaceutical manufacturing appointments

Two agricultural machinery manufacturers

One packaging company

One food-processing factory

One logistics company

One commercial bank

One technical training institution

The resulting excursion programme may be constructed specifically around those requirements. This makes the Floating Date Excursion particularly appropriate for entrepreneurs and professionals who already have a clearly defined industrial objective.

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Ghana Fund Industrial Excursion Programme — Destinations

Ghana Fund Industrial Excursion Programme

DESTINATIONS

The Ghana Fund Industrial Excursion Programme shall initially cover major industrial and commercial destinations selected for their productive capabilities, technologies, manufacturing systems, infrastructure and commercial opportunities.

France

Aerospace & aircraft manufacturing

Germany

Automotive engineering & smart manufacturing

United States of America

Aerospace & aircraft production

Malaysia

Electronics & precision manufacturing

India

Pharmaceutical manufacturing

Canada

Mining & heavy industrial equipment

Brazil

Aircraft manufacturing & aerospace

China

High-speed rail & advanced manufacturing

Japan

Robotics & factory automation

South Korea

Semiconductors & chip manufacturing

Australia

Iron ore mining & mineral processing

Russia

Aircraft manufacturing & aerospace engineering

United Kingdom

Jet engines & aerospace engineering

Netherlands

Greenhouse horticulture & agri-technology

Spain

High-speed rail & rolling-stock manufacturing

Turkey

Automotive manufacturing

The destination list may be expanded or amended by Ghana Fund when industrial opportunities, diplomatic relations, commercial considerations or emerging technologies make additional countries strategically relevant.

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Industrial Excursion Programme

Cost of Industrial Excursions

The Ghana Fund Industrial Excursion is structured as a professionally organised industrial mission. Its financial arrangements are designed around the actual services, travel arrangements and programme activities specified for each excursion.

General Principle Who bears the cost?

Delegates ordinarily bear the full cost.

Except where an excursion originates from or is directly associated with an existing Ghana Fund programme, delegates shall bear the full cost of the excursion.

Programme-linked exception: Where an excursion is undertaken specifically as part of the development of a Ghana Fund-supported start-up factory or another existing Ghana Fund programme, different sponsorship arrangements may apply. For ordinary Industrial Excursions, however, the delegate is responsible for the applicable excursion fee.

Programme Fee

One programme. One published fee. A defined package.

The published excursion fee shall be designed as an all-inclusive programme fee, covering the services and travel arrangements specified for the particular excursion.

14.2

What the Excursion Fee Covers

International travel expenses

Applicable internal travel expenses

Accommodation

Local transportation

Organised industrial visits

Participation in conferences

Lectures

Industrial presentations

Official programme activities

Banquets included in the programme

Gate tickets

Organised site-entry fees

Pre-departure briefing sessions

Designated research / intellectual briefings

Designated government briefings

Designated diplomatic / commercial briefings

Programme administration

Other services expressly included in the published package

Visa Exclusion

Visa application costs are excluded from the excursion fee.

Visa application fees
Visa-related charges
Personal documentation
Photographs or other visa materials
Any required medical examination
Any other personal expense required by the visa authority

Visa approval is the responsibility of the relevant immigration or diplomatic authority. Payment of the excursion fee does not constitute a guarantee that a visa will be issued.

Financial Arrangements

Payment Arrangements

Ghana Fund shall permit delegates to pay the excursion fee by instalments. The payment structure for each particular excursion shall be published when that excursion is opened for registration.

Registration

Payment Plan

Follow the payment schedule published for the excursion.

Up to Four

The excursion fee may be divided into up to four instalments.

Participation

Meet the applicable payment deadlines for programme arrangements to proceed.

Instalment Option

Up to four payment stages.

An excursion may be structured into four payment stages, with each instalment representing a specified percentage of the total fee.

STAGE 01

Instalment One Percentage determined and published by Ghana Fund.

STAGE 02

Instalment Two Percentage determined and published by Ghana Fund.

STAGE 03

Instalment Three Percentage determined and published by Ghana Fund.

STAGE 04

Instalment Four Percentage determined and published by Ghana Fund.

The specific percentage applicable to each instalment shall be stated when the particular excursion is opened for registration. The exact percentages shall be determined and published by Ghana Fund for the relevant excursion.

✓

Full Payment

A delegate who wishes to settle the entire cost immediately may make a one-time full payment. Full payment shall be accepted where the delegate prefers to complete the financial obligation at once.

One-Time Settlement

Payment & Participation

Registration and payment are separate stages of the participation process. Delegates are expected to comply with the payment schedule applicable to the excursion.

Flights

Ghana Fund may establish payment deadlines to ensure that flights can be secured.

Accommodation

Payment deadlines may be required to secure appropriate accommodation for the delegation.

Appointments

Timely payment helps enable industrial, commercial and institutional appointments to be confirmed.

Conference Participation

Applicable deadlines may be established so that conference participation can be arranged.

Local Transportation

Payment scheduling assists Ghana Fund in organising the required local transportation.

Efficient Programme Delivery

Payment deadlines support the efficient delivery of the overall Industrial Excursion programme.

The Financial Principle

The excursion fee is designed around participation, preparation and execution — not simply travel.

The Industrial Excursion is a professional industrial mission. The financial arrangements therefore support the organisation of the complete programme specified for each destination, while delegates remain responsible for complying with the applicable payment schedule and for visa-related expenses excluded from the published excursion fee.

Ghana Fund Industrial Excursion Programme

From International Exposure to Ghanaian Enterprise

The most important distinguishing feature of the Ghana Fund Industrial Excursion Programme is that the relationship with the delegate does not end when the aircraft returns to Ghana.

Post-Excursion Support

The journey continues.

Upon returning to Ghana, delegates shall be assisted by Ghana Fund, within the scope of its programmes and available resources, to pursue the establishment of the specific industry or commercial opportunity identified during the excursion.

The Industrialisation Path

Turn what you saw into what Ghana can produce.

The purpose of post-excursion support is to move a delegate progressively from an identified opportunity towards practical implementation.

01 / EXPOSURE

Discover

Identify an industrial technology, business model, production system or commercial opportunity.

02 / DEVELOPMENT

Plan

Translate the opportunity into an industrial, commercial and operational plan.

03 / IMPLEMENTATION

Establish

Develop the machinery, technology, people, premises and relationships required for implementation.

04 / PRODUCTION

Produce & Sell

Commence productive activity and develop the commercial capacity required to reach customers and markets.

16.1

From Excursion to Enterprise

Where a delegate identifies a viable industrial opportunity, Ghana Fund may assist with the transition from observation to implementation.

Industrial planning

Business development

Technical assistance

Identification of equipment

Supplier identification

Technology sourcing

Technology-transfer facilitation

Market development

Marketing

Sales development

Skills development

Training

Technical recruitment

Operational planning

Production start-up assistance

Relationship management with foreign partners

Investment facilitation

Financing facilitation where appropriate

Export-market development

Other relevant industrial support services

Implementation Assistance

Industrial Support

Industrial support may extend from the initial concept through to commencement of operations. Depending on the project, assistance may cover the practical requirements for establishing productive capacity.

Industrial Premises

Identifying appropriate industrial premises.

Production Machinery

Identifying machinery required for production.

Equipment Suppliers

Identifying appropriate equipment suppliers.

Production Lines

Supporting the establishment of production lines.

Technical Specifications

Obtaining relevant technical specifications.

Technical Partnerships

Facilitating appropriate technical partnerships.

Technical Training

Organising technical training where required.

Factory Commissioning

Arranging factory commissioning support.

Operating Procedures

Developing appropriate operating procedures.

Production Systems

Developing practical production systems.

Quality Control

Establishing quality-control systems.

Maintenance

Identifying maintenance requirements.

Commercialisation

Production is only half the job.

A commercially viable industry requires markets. Ghana Fund's post-excursion support may therefore extend beyond establishing production capacity to developing the commercial capacity necessary to sell what delegates produce.

Market identification

Customer identification

Distributor identification

Product positioning

Sales strategy

Export-market identification

Trade-show participation

Business-to-business introductions

Branding support

Marketing strategy

Sales-channel development

Skills are the production engine.

Industrial development requires appropriately trained people. Ghana Fund may therefore facilitate the technical, managerial, engineering and commercial skills required to support the establishment and operation of productive enterprises.

Technical training

Management training

Engineering training

Equipment-operation training

Maintenance training

Quality-control training

Production-management training

Sales training

Marketing training

Entrepreneurship training

Foreign technical attachments

Specialist training

Where appropriate, training may be undertaken in Ghana or through follow-up programmes in the destination country.

Continuing Industrial Engagement

Follow-Up Excursions

An initial excursion may identify opportunities that require further investigation. Where necessary or expedient, Ghana Fund and its associates may partially sponsor follow-up excursions.

Negotiate a manufacturing agreement

Inspect machinery before purchase

Conduct technical due diligence

Negotiate a franchise

Finalise a joint venture

Inspect a production facility

Undertake technical training

Negotiate technology transfer

Complete commercial negotiations

Meet investors

Undertake supplier verification

Programme Accountability

Responsibilities

Programme Administration

Ghana Fund

Identifying suitable destinations

Developing excursion programmes

Identifying industrial institutions

Arranging appointments

Coordinating host organisations

Organising transportation

Coordinating accommodation

Organising pre-departure briefings

Coordinating diplomatic/commercial engagements

Administering delegate registration

Administering payments

Coordinating travel arrangements

Monitoring the programme

Coordinating post-excursion support

Delegate Obligations

Delegates

Providing accurate personal information

Providing required travel documentation

Paying applicable fees

Attending pre-departure briefings

Obtaining visas where required

Complying with visa conditions

Attending scheduled activities

Complying with host-country laws

Respecting host institutions

Participating professionally

Pursuing identified industrial objectives

Providing relevant post-excursion information

Participating in implementation activities where applicable

Working with competent partners: Ghana Fund may work with associates, professional organisations, diplomatic missions, commercial organisations, industry associations, travel service providers, technical institutions and other competent organisations.

Support facilitates opportunity. It does not guarantee success.

Delegates should understand that Ghana Fund's support is intended to facilitate productive opportunities and does not automatically constitute a guarantee of financing, employment, licensing, government approval, investment returns or business success.

Ghana Fund Industrial Excursion Programme

Documentation, Pipeline & Programme Philosophy

The Industrial Excursion does not end with observation. The information gathered, relationships established and opportunities identified during the excursion provide the foundation for practical implementation in Ghana.

Documentation & Recording

Delegates should maintain appropriate records of significant opportunities identified during an excursion.

Company names

Contact persons

Products

Machinery specifications

Technology information

Indicative prices

Production capacity

Minimum order quantities

Technical requirements

Licensing requirements

Franchise terms

Investment requirements

Training requirements

Distribution requirements

Potential Ghanaian market

Export opportunities

Follow-up actions

Implementation foundation: This information will form the basis for post-excursion implementation.

The Industrial Excursion Pipeline

From objective to expansion.

The complete Ghana Fund model can be represented as a continuous progression from identifying an industrial objective to establishing productive capacity and expanding production.

Identify Industrial Objective

Select Destination

Register Delegates

Confirm Required Number

Conduct Pre-Departure Briefing

Undertake Industrial Visits

Meet Foreign Companies and Institutions

Identify Specific Opportunities

Return to Ghana

Develop Implementation Plan

Establish Industry / Enterprise

Develop Skills and Production Capacity

Develop Markets and Sales

Expand Production

Undertake Follow-Up International Engagement Where Necessary

Fundamental Development Logic This is the fundamental development logic of the programme.

Two excursion models.
Different purposes.

The Fixed Date and Floating Date Excursions are structured differently so that the programme can accommodate both larger groups pursuing common industrial objectives and smaller groups pursuing specialised objectives.

Feature	Fixed Date Excursion	Floating Date Excursion
Date	Predetermined	Determined after minimum participation is attained
Minimum delegates	15 + officials	7 + officials
Programme	Predetermined general programme	Tailored to delegate requirements
Industrial objective	Specific objective established in advance	Developed around delegates' requested appointments
Appointments	Primarily pre-arranged according to programme	Arranged according to delegates' specific requirements
Flexibility	Moderate	High
Ideal for	Large groups with common objectives	Small groups with specialised objectives
Date selection	Ghana Fund establishes date	Date established after minimum group is attained
Destination	Predetermined	Selected according to requested industrial interests
Participation	Delegate must travel on published dates	Date established around viable group and appointments

The Fundamental Philosophy of the Programme

Knowledge becomes valuable when it is converted into production.

The Industrial Excursion Programme is based on a simple development philosophy.

A delegate may travel to a technologically advanced country and observe a highly successful manufacturing operation. The real value of the excursion, however, arises when that knowledge contributes to the establishment of a similar or appropriately adapted productive activity in Ghana.

Transformation 01 International exposure into Ghanaian production.

Transformation 02 Foreign technology into Ghanaian capability.

Transformation 03 Business relationships into commercial partnerships.

Transformation 04 Industrial knowledge into employment.

Ultimate Transformation Industrial excursions into enterprises, factories, services, exports and economic growth.

Take-Away

This is not principally a travel programme.

It is an industrial-development programme delivered partly through international travel.

The international excursion provides the opportunity for delegates to see, understand, question, negotiate and establish relationships with institutions and enterprises that possess technologies, production systems, commercial models and expertise relevant to Ghana's development.

The subsequent Ghana-based support is intended to convert those opportunities into actual businesses and productive capacity.

01 SEE

02 UNDERSTAND

03 CONNECT

04 IDENTIFY

05 PLAN

06 ESTABLISH

07 PRODUCE

08 SELL

09 EXPAND

Through the Fixed Date and Floating Date models, the programme can accommodate both large groups pursuing common industrial objectives and smaller groups pursuing highly specific commercial opportunities.

With destinations covering major industrial economies across Europe, North America, Asia, South America and Oceania, the programme provides a broad platform for Ghanaian participants to access international industrial capability.

The Meaning of the Return Journey

The return journey to Ghana is not the end of the excursion. It is the beginning of the industrialisation process.

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