First Bank of Nigeria’s (FBN) acquires Ghana’s International Commercial Bank (ICB)

Title: First Bank’s ICB Acquisition Gets Approval
Dated: 25th September 2013


First Bank of Nigeria’s (FBN) recent acquisition of Ghana’s International Commercial Bank (ICB) has been approved by the Bank of Ghana (BOG).

According to a statement released by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the takeover will include ICB’s subsidiaries in Gambia, Guinea, Senegal and Sierra-Leone, and would require FBN to make available about 40 percent of the shares to Ghanaians through the Ghana Stock Exchange, as part of its terms of condition.

In which case, the Nigerian bank is to release at least 25 percent of the shares latest by Dec. 31 next year.

The ICB is part of a group comprising a network of 12 banks spread through Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa.

According to analysts, the acquisition would birth one of the biggest SME- friendly banks in Ghana.

Source: VENTURES AFRICA

Credit: http://www.ventures-africa.com/2013/09/first-bank-nigeria-acquisition-icb-gets-approval/

Paulina says: I don’t even know what to say about this acquisition of another Ghanaian business….…Read between the lines. I’ll leave it there.

 

Haute Nightlife: La Maison Du Cigar Accra, Ghana…

Paulina says: Cigars are not for everyone, I personally haven’t had one since my Rex Bar days in Zurich a hundred years ago but I think that for those of us who like to work hard and play hard –one night of high excess in our life is not a bad thing –no? Anyway I know I’m going to be getting some funky emails from Ghana’s moral classes……

Recently launched La Maison Du Cigar is all about sophisticated grownup fun and is adding to the growing high-end services now available to Ghana’s sybarites…

They sell exotic imported cigars to individuals, haute parties and cooperate events…and I’m thinking they’ll be fab for the boys’ room at high-end weddings… For more info about La Maison Du Cigar visit: https://www.facebook.com/LaMaisonDuCigar

Looking for luxury rentals in Ghana, head to Casas Corona…….

 

First Floor Apartment East Legon.

​Available IMMEDIATELY
US$2500 unfurnished
​​
This first floor apartment is ideally located.  It comes with everything you don't want to have to worry about: fridge/freezer, microwave, washer/dryer, cooker, wireless router.  With 3 bedrooms and an open plan living/dining area full of natural light as well as a balcony with views over the courtyard its got everything you need.

3 Bedroom Apartment in Cantonments

Available June
US$2800 unfurnished
​
This tidy 3 bedroom apartment is great for those who need to be right in the center of town.  Just a stones throw from Ghana International School in Cantonments  and a short walk away from the post office it is quietly tucked away from the noise while still maintaining its accessibility. Plus its only 10 minutes away from the airport.

Airport Residential area Colonial Style house.  
2 available, immediately
US$3500​​ unfurnished / US$4000 furnished
US$250 per day for short lets

This picturesque 3 bedroom Semi-detached colonial house has kept all its charm and original features.  With large grounds full of birdsong it is hard to believe that you are still within a 20 minute drive to Osu and a 5 minute drive away from the airport.

 

 

 

Newly built Semi-detached in East Legon.​​
​Available September
US$2500 unfurnished
​
This modern 3 bedroom semi-detached development is perfect for those who value their peace.  With its beautiful greenery it is the ideal indoor-outdoor space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ground Floor East Legon Apartment.

Available July

US$3000 furnished​​

A modern 3 bedroom apartment. This delightful apartment comes with all appliances already installed (fridge/freezer, washer/dryer, microwave, wireless router) and comprise of:



♛ Open plan kitchen

♛ 3 Bedrooms

♛ 2 Bathrooms both with bath and shower

♛ Modern fixtures and fittings

♛ Front and back garden plus

      laundry room

♛ Access to swimming pool

 

 

Paulina says: if you are looking for a professional estate agent with high-end, high spec luxury properties on their books then Casas Corona The Agency is it.

Offering luxury apartments and houses within the much coveted 10 minutes’ drive from the airport radius and other much needed amenities like Marina and Accra Mall, high-end restaurants, fashion boutiques, car rentals, international schools et al -Casas Corona The Agency is a must for all seeking to relocate to Ghana..

 For more info about Casas Corona The Agency or to enquire about the above properties visit: http://www.casascorona.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CasasCoronaTheAgency

 

***All photos come courtesy of Casas Corona The Agency

 

 

La Dolce Vita: After a second home abroad? Check out Ocean Green Beach Villas in Prampram Ghana…….

Work being carried out in Prampram Ghana on the construction of Ocean Green Beach Villas..

“Have a look at our Ocean Green Beach Villas Prampram. We identify 3 types of villas and can include private pool if so desired. Each house has 2 parking spaces. Each house also has over 82 m2 additional built space for Terrace, Patio and Exterior Moonlight bathing. The design and architecture are French and Ghanaian expertise, blending luxury, beauty and creating a tranquil tropical garden of serenity overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The villas are spacious built on large beach plots measuring up to over 12.000 square feet approximately 1.200m2.” Ocean Green Beach Villas Prampram

Paulina says: Are you hankering after your very own beach front villa? Are you thinking about investing in a holiday property abroad? If sooo think Ghana, think the lovely beaches of Prampram, in the Volta region along Ghana’s lush coast and get in touch with the good people at Ghana Green Coast Company (GGCC) for more information about the above delectable Ocean Green Beach Villas.

An elegant environmentally sound green development set within a secure gated community, theses luxury villas offer a safe, sound investment for those looking for a second home or a holiday let to bring in extra income..

Ocean Green Beach Villas save on energy and cost by using solar energy for hot water instead of electricity boilers, floor cooling instead of air conditioners and rainwater instead op pipe born water by using innovative renewable energy solutions by Dutch company BTI (http://www.bticonsult.nl/).

I can picture it already -can't you!!!! Can you imagine summer holidays filled with yummy alfresco living on the beach? Can you see your family barbecuing in your very own back yard –just a few feet away from the beach? If you're after La Dolce Vita Ghana styleeee visit the Ocean Green Beach Villas website via: http://www.oceangreenbeachvillas.com/

http://www.ggccnet.com/
https://www.facebook.com/oceangreenbeachvillas

 

More Info

Green Beach Villas, Prampram is a project of The Ghana Green Coast Company. We offers homes with a global concept that is unique in properties and resorts.

Mission is to make and accelerate growth of Profit, growth of our society and People and protect our environment Planet.

Welcome to Ghana, the glamorous West African country, of Kwame Nkrumah fame; rich in history; diverse and rich in culture; beautiful landscape; clean beaches; natural forests; the land of the kente cloth; and many more exciting sights, events, adventure, and activities.

Green Beach Villas, Prampram is a project of The Ghana Green Coast Company (GGCC). We offers second homes with a global concept that is unique in – Hotel, Residential Properties and Resorts - to let you enjoy the spirit of Ghana regularly according to own preferences, but also as a perfect investment.

Green Beach Villas, Prampram is a high quality beach villa estate just out of Accra, with scenic sea view surrounded by coconut palm trees.

A closed compound with bespoke villa units in a well-kept garden.

Drive over for a rejuvenating weekend’s stay and you’ll feel as if you are on holiday.

A great way to spend time with family and friends but also investment for good income returns.

A luxury villa estate and gated community for people of discerning taste, for own use and for income.

 

Why Prampram?

The development of the Ocean Green Beach Villa’s Project site in Prampram was born out of the need by the promoters to utilize their collective experience in developing a unique energy efficient, eco-friendly, uniquely designed and beautifully landscaped beach front “Paradise” for people of discerning taste, the recognition by the promoters of the lack of secure leisure recreational villa homes and the opportunity available to fill that market void, the increasing realty development boom, gradual shift away from the overcrowded Accra city to locations within 30 minutes to an hour’s drive from Accra, which makes the Prampram location ideal and the ability to obtain above average returns on investment and opportunity of replicating the project concept in the Country and beyond.

Prampram absorbs the economic and demographic overflow from Accra and Tema metropolis. Strategically, Prampram is suitable connected for working, living and recreating. Ghana Football Academy is located here, Tema Golf Club is a stone throw, the International highway (Aflao road) connecting Ghana, Ivory Coast,Togo, Nigeria and Benin passes by, Polo Club, Central University, scenic beaches, good connectivity to Ada estuaries, Shai Hills, Akosombo, Accra City, Malls and shops make Prampra first class choice.

Besides, the Government of Ghana has indicated its firm intention of relocating the Ghana's capital International Airport to Prampram. When completed, the Airport will be just 15 to 20 minutes’ drive from the Beach Villa Estates.

Model Citizen: Nunana Awoonor

 This photo is killer fierce.......

Paulina says: There’s a real buzz about student and model Nunana Awoonor in the Ghanaian press and beyond –right now. So I just had to investigate –and I’m glad I did.

New Jersey based Nunana Awoonor, don’t you just love her name…. who’s been modelling for about 2 years is pretty fabulous.

Nunana Awoonor is a naturally beautiful petit model, she stands at 167cm / 5"5.5 and is an eye watering size 4 (lucky, lucky girl). Nunana Awoonor makes a fab model for the Ghanaian market because they don’t tend to care about height but for those of us who do, I think she makes the best beauty model, she’s also fab for commercials and adverts, petit catwalks and catalogues, beauty campaigns etc, –just take a look at her lovely face.

For more info about Ghana’s latest big media crush Nunana Awoonor visit http://www.nunuvaness.com/

Do LIKE Nunana Awoonor’s official Facebook fan page via: https://www.facebook.com/nunuvanessmodel

Ghana’s Sarkordie Makes Forbes Top Ten Most Bankable African Urban Music Artists…

Paulina says: I love Africa’s best rapper Sarkordie… He has just been voted the 8^th most bankable African artists on the planet by Forbes –good for him, he’s an incredibly inspirational young man..…

We have to celebrate Sarkodie, -unlike other Ghana based recording artists Sakordie isn’t afraid of success and is willing to venture into other industries including fashion design etc.

I hope he continues to push the boat out –and maybe become the first Ghana based celebrity I know to bring out his own fragrances etc!!!!

I say this because I see him as a sort of modern day Sam Jonah, more inspirational than the aforementioned but no less talented/entrepreneurial, someone who inspires the youth of Ghana not just to dream or think big, but to go out there and make it happen. …. And goodness knows Ghana needs more entrepreneurial ‘business’ mentors and icons…

I also don’t know if he’s had media training or just has an incredible management team, but he can do no wrong and I’m secretly pleased he didn’t go into the Big Brother Africa House –he has passed that platform. Go…. Sarkodie…

To read the full article visit: http://www.forbesafrica.com/

https://twitter.com/forbesafrica

A must Read: Design233 Website

 **Credit: Photography by Charles Lawson

“The Swaniker residence, designed originally by Gizella Agbotsui for the Swaniker family, is a house full of delights and surprises. The original plan for this lovely four-bedroom house was slightly altered by the older Swaniker lady, Constance's mother, adding on a lobby into the house, a formal seating area as well as a front porch. It was important to the Swaniker women that once the architect sketched out the basic plan, the design was flexible enough to make the necessary changes to their satisfaction. Constance has been residing here over a decade with her mother who comes in periodically from her long-term residence in Botswana.”  Design233 Website

To read the rest of the above text and sneak a peek at artist/Sculptor/entrepreneur Constance Swaniker’s beautiful residence in Accra, Ghana visit the Design233 Website via: http://www.design233.com/works/artist_in_residence.html#.UjrPU4pwbIV

 

Paulina says: My goodness there are some uber beautiful homes in Ghana –no? Think Ghana Rising faves architects Joe Osae-Addo and Lesley Lokko’s beautiful homes in Ghana and you’ll know what I mean –but you never get to see or read about the designers behind them until now..

Design233 Website is doing for Ghana what Architectural Digest has been doing for the rest of the world and has as you can see above --allowed us a sneaky peek into the rustic/Ghanacana lush home of artist/Sculptor/entrepreneur Constance Swaniker --which I’ve discovered by reading the above article is designed by Gizella Agbotsui, –where else will you find out much-needed info like this???

Design233 Website is a daily must-read and a fantastic hub for all things relevant, contemporary and high-end architecture/design in Ghana and beyond... It also showcases people we all admire and want to know more about like: beloved Lagos based artist El Anatsui, Ghanaian writer, filmmaker and historian, Nana Oforiatta Ayim, film director Akosua Adoma Owusu, Ghana based international renowned architect Joe Osae-Addo and of course the ever beautiful artist/Sculptor/entrepreneur Constance Swaniker who’s beautiful home is the subject --above.

I’m truly impressed with the Design233 Website and the above piece written by Korantemaa Larbi and can’t wait for the next designer home. For more info or the read the full text and see the rest of Constance Swaniker's beautiful home visit: http://www.design233.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Design233

 

More Info

Design 233 was born out of the need to showcase Ghana’s art and architecture and present notable design professionals who have helped build and shape the country since independence. The name simply represents design work in ’233′ – Ghana’s international country code. This showcase aims at generating awareness and conversations on the underrepresented architectural and design society of Ghana. Post colonization and fast-forwarding to 2011, the general view within Ghana’s architectural community is that current designs are highly westernized with little consideration of our unique climate and culture. Ghana’s climate is highly stratified with six ecological zones. The ten regions fall within these. From the mangroves on the southern coast to the sub-Saharan deserts of the North, each location traditionally has a distinct way of building and living. The social lifestyles, rich with colourful fabrics, symbolic motifs, rites and festivals are translated into the spatial dimension. Aside these, new crops of buildings (multi-storey offices and housing estates) are springing up all over the country. The built environment of Ghana has become highly diverse and like its ecology, considerably stratified-contemporary versus traditional.

Design 233 will journey through time to the present looking at unique buildings, projects, and art together with their authors. History is pertinent here so the pioneer architects and their projects will be featured under ‘The Legends’. Their designs, not being touted as solutions but as case studies, will be dissected based on concept, design process and spatial organization with respect to context. Architecture is definitely not without art. Artistic works which play a role in defining spaces, particularly public art pieces, will be of great interest here. In Design 233, architects, artist, designers, projects, books and events, within the design community of Ghana will be featured. Here, we will explore design as a catalyst for development, seek out projects that are sensitive to our unique culture and climate and that act as spring boards for innovation and development.

With the hope that the discovery and exploration of oil brings is the hope that new developments would be sustainable and locally sensitive, where contemporary meets traditional.