‘Western Africa access corridor’ forges ahead

17^th September 2018, London UK: The University of East London’s chair of the Board of Governors, Geoff Thompson, has held talks to drive forward a historic deal to help the people of Ghana and UEL students.

Mr Thompson, who is also the founder and executive chair of The Youth Charter, an accredited United Nations organisation, has been meeting representatives of the King of Ashanti, Ghana, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding signed by a consortium of international partners just two weeks ago.

The MOU sets out an ambitious ‘Western Africa access corridor’, springing from Ghana, which will enhance education and boost trade. It was signed during the conferral of an honorary doctorate by UEL to His Majesty Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, in recognition of his services to education.

“What we achieved during that inspiring ceremony on Monday 3^rd September, in the heart of London’s business quarter at Canary Wharf was unique,” said Mr Thompson. “Now it is about forging ahead and creating the optimal steps to realising ways to augment the lives of the people of Ghana, and our students at the University of East London. I have been speaking with representatives of His Majesty the King about how we co-design and co-deliver exciting programmes for UEL and the Ashanti kingdom. It has been an incredible few days and business, politicians and world leaders are beginning to understand the true and immense potential of what can be realised.”

The centre-piece of the project features a new international airport in Kumasi, southern Ghana. The idea is to connect the major Ghanaian towns and cities with land and sea trading ports, enabling Ghana to connect both internally and externally, quickly and efficiently.

His Majesty said, “We are elated this day should also mark the launch of what looks set to be an incubator of an innovative collaboration between business, finance and education to foster global development.

“I want to thank the University of East London, the giant construction company Mace, and the finance houses involved in this ground-breaking collaboration.  Ghana stands out as one of the most attractive and desirable investment destinations. We have a government with ambition to build one of the strongest economies.”

The King’s Investment Trust, AIT, Mace, an international construction and consultancy firm, the University of East London, His Majesty, King Osei Tutu Institute of Applied Sciences, Kumasi, and The Youth Charter are all signatories to the memorandum.

“We will work collaboratively over the coming years to secure learning and employment opportunities for Ghanaians in both the UK and in Ghana in order to bring them into the construction and consultancy arenas,” said Mace’s global head of aviation consultancy, Carl Dainter. “We’ll give Ghanaian’s studying here in the UK access to our construction sites through our ‘open door’ policy, which gives them a regular and unique access to industry leading practice being deployed in real life on construction sites.” 

He said that speed to market was what set companies and countries apart, and that Ghana was equipping itself to be ready for the trading relationships of the future.

UEL’s new vice-chancellor and president, Professor Amanda Broderick said, “What is clear is that whatever the scenario, it is talent, more than capital, that will represent the critical factor of production, with the demand for highly skilled workers significantly increasing and the future workforce needing higher-order competencies to keep pace.

“This is where the University of East London’s distinctive educational philosophy of fitness for work, fitness for life will provide such an advantage.”

The airport will encompass passenger operations, cargo activity, aircraft maintenance and a state-of-the-art aviation skills academy. 

“We are a richly diverse university, with more than 135 different nationalities represented on campus, and in the time I have been here, it has proved to be a very vibrant educational community,” said the chancellor of the University, Shabir Randeree.

“The historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with His Majesty, UEL, Mace and Youth Charter is prescient, apposite and legacy building. It will cement a relationship which will benefit the next generation of UEL students and the next generation of His Majesty’s subjects.”

Ghana is seen as a role model in Africa, and according to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation it remains one of the most important democracies in the continent. The memorandum should also be seen in the context of the UK prime minister’s visit to Africa. This deal is a pragmatic example of an innovative university partnering commerce, education and technology to make the lives of millions of people better, giving them the chance to learn new entrepreneurial skills, said Mr Thompson.

“This goes to the heart of doing aid, trade and security in a different way in the 21^st century, where we need a more innovative social, cultural and digital construct to help our students, the people of the Ashanti, the people of Ghana and the people of Africa.

“If we invest in people through sport and education, we offer a new type of aid where we equip them, as this project will do, with the life-skills and employability potential giving them the confidence to know they can trade locally, nationally and globally through the West Africa corridor to the east end of London, migrating and negotiating via Europe and the rest of the world.

“With business, trade and entrepreneurship come added societal security, potentially driving away gangs, violence and crime, all because we’re operating in a different, strategic and linked way, something we’re pioneering at UEL.”

The airport campus is expected to be completed early in the next decade.