Ghanaian Among Seven Selected For World Bank Essay Contest

Mr Jefferson Woarlanyo Agbai, an Analyst within the Investment Management division of IC Securities Limited Accra office, has been selected as one of seven finalists to present their essays to a panel of World Bank experts at this year's Annual World Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE), to be held in Tokyo, Japan from May 29-30, 2006.

Mr Agbai's essay was selected from nearly 2,000 submissions from 136 countries in the 2006 World Bank world essay competition, launched February 1, 2006, on concrete proposals for Solving Community Problems and Influencing Decision Making in developing countries.

During the finals in Tokyo, Mr Agbai will present his essay to World Bank experts and also answer questions from the jury and other finalists. A winner will be selected from the final 7 candidates.

Mr Agbai has previously won other international essay contests. In 2005, he was awarded by the African Youth Foundation, Bonn, Germany for his winning essay on the topic 'ICT and Education in Africa'.

During 2004, his submission was adjudged best overall of the essay topic 'Africa's Energy Crisis, Alternative Methods of Solution' by JAAG Consultancy, Germany.

Mr Agbai completed his studies at the University of Ghana, Legon, where he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Political Science and also holds the Ghana Security Industry certificate.

He works in the Investment Management unit of IC Securities, an emerging markets financing and advisory firm headquartered in London, where he is responsible for Institutional clients.