DANIEL McKORLEY COMMENDS GOVERNMENT FOR SUPPORTING THE PRIVATE SECTOR

At a panel interview during the recently ended UK-Africa Investment Summit hosted in London, United Kingdom, Dr. Daniel McKorley, founder and Chief Executive Officer of McDan Group of Companies commended the Ghanaian government for providing indigenous businessmen the opportunity to prove themselves and contribute their quota to the overall growth of the private sector.

Headquartered in Accra,Ghana, McDan Group was established in November 1999 with branches in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Equatorial Guinea and the United Kingdom. The company has presence in over 2400 major air and sea ports worldwide. Over the years the company has expanded its services from customs brokerage to freight forwarding, including warehousing (bonded and non-bonded), hauling, project cargo movement and ground handling.

In his conversation with panel moderator and Hogan Lovell’s Head of Africa Practice, Andrew Skipper, Dr McKorley expressed concern for the infrastructure sector in most African countries; specifically, Ghana. He stated that local businesses have much to contribute in terms of skill and expertise towards the government’s goal of infrastructure development. However often, the indigenous businessman did not form part of the larger conversation. The current structure of financing provided by financiers and investors do little to support these businesses. The CEO emphasised that given the rate at which Ghana is growing, now more than ever would be the ideal time for investors, financiers and other businessmen to place their support in the right places and secure themselves a seat at the table.

Dr McKorley went further to challenge African nations to steer away from its current system and explore more innovative ways to develop infrastructure. Taking into consideration the boom in Ghana’s infrastructure climate, he encouraged financiers to begin giving local businesses raw debt or equity to help finance some of the major developmental projects in Ghana.

He also called on the government to provide financiers and investors interested in working with businesses in Ghana the needed support and favourable business climate for them to exist.

According to the CEO of McDan Group, all a good entrepreneur needs is the opportunity to prove himself and make a difference. With the right resources, governmental support and proper planning, he is convinced indigenous businessmen can excel and make meaningful contributions to infrastructure development in Africa.

Dr McKorley applauded the Ghanaian government for the support and opportunities they currently provide to indigenous businesses and urged them to continue to do so. In the long run, he believed that this system would go a long way to help build infrastructure and limit the pressure on the country’s national economic budget.

The UK Africa Investment Summit was an event hosted by the Prime Minister on January 20, 2020. The summit brought together businesses, governments and international institutions to showcase and promote the breadth and quality of investment opportunities across Africa. The Summit strengthened the UK’s partnership with African nations to build a secure and prosperous future for all our citizens and mobilised new and substantial investments to create jobs and boost mutual prosperity.

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Immense ecstasy as McDan breaks bread with over 5,000 widows, PWDs to mark festive season

One hundred and twenty-six-year-old Salomay Boye was among thousands of widows who thronged the McDan La Town Park at La in Accra Thursday to participate in a health screening exercise organised by the McDan Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the McDan Group.

In the company of one of her granddaughters, Ms Boye, a mother of 16 with only four surviving arrived at the venue as early as 7 a.m. to have her eyes and other essential organs screened.

The centenarian, who was full of energy and could walk alone with little support from her walking stick, revealed that her health had always been her priority, hence her decision to participate in the exercise.

After successfully undergoing a full-scale screening, Ms Boye defied the hindrances associated with her age to challenge her daughters with energetic dance moves, a drive that threw the gathering into a state of shock.

The enthusiasm with which she performed and the euphoria that characterised the atmosphere summarised the extent to which the beneficiaries, including persons living with disabilities valued the gesture.

More than 5,000 widows drawn from La, Teshie, Nungua, Osu, Tema and surrounding communities benefitted from the exercise which has been running for the past six years.

The beneficiaries, some of whom had been widows for more than four decades, were screened for dental and eye diseases, diabetes, hypertension, malaria, typhoid fever, and other ailments.

Additionally, the beneficiaries were given free medication, where necessary, and counselled by a team of medical officers from the 37 Military Hospital, led by a Physician Specialist at the Hospital, Col. Dr Clement Nii Mensah Laryea.

It was a moment of celebration and merrymaking for the beneficiaries as they were also treated to good food, music, and thrilling cultural performances.

They also received food items, including assorted drinks, rice, biscuit, and cooking oil.

Rationale

The Chairman of the McDan Group, Dr Daniel McKorley, who led the presentation, said the annual exercise formed part of efforts by the Foundation to give back to society and assist the widows to experience the joy of the season.

“McDan has been very consistent. We believe in giving back to society especially in this season of love and giving. This is my own community and constituency and I believe it is about time we share. All the people here are my mothers and grandmothers and I feel it is about time I come here, break bread with them, and have the medical team check them up. This is what McDan Foundation can do to support society,” he said.

Dr McKorley, while interacting with the women, expressed profound gratitude to them for honouring his invitation and pledged his readiness to continue to support them.

He appealed to corporate organisations and persons in the position of extending help to the needy to support the less privileged and contribute to poverty reduction because “government cannot do it all.”

Appreciation

For his part, a Deputy Minister for Communications and Member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon, Mr Vincent Sowah Odotei thanked Dr McKorley for the gesture done his constituents.

He also appealed to all wealthy natives of La to “come back home” and support the development of the area.

Some of the beneficiaries of the exercise were full of praise for Dr McKorley for sustaining the programme, which they said, had become an important occasion on their calendar.

They also expressed appreciation to the medical team for the counselling offered them and resolved to adopt positive health practices to improve on their health conditions.

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McDan Foundation makes Christmas merry for street children, hawkers; feeds multitudes

Multitudes of street children and hawkers within parts of the capital had a refreshing taste of Christmas when McDan Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the McDan Group embarked on an exercise to feed the destitute on the street.

With the aim of  ensuring that street children shared in the festive season, the Foundation treated the children and hawkers to good food and drinks on Christmas Eve as part of its objectives to support the less privileged.

The team, led by the Chairman of the McDan Group, Dr Daniel McKorley visited bus stops at the Okponglo Traffic Light, Dzorwulu Junction, East Legon tunnel, and Shiashie and shared assorted drinks, biscuits, packaged foods, and other items for the homeless.

Inmates at the East Legon Police Station were not left out as they were also fed on the day.

It was a moment of joy and merrymaking for the beneficiaries, many of whom had spent their entire lives grappling on the streets.

At each bus stop, Dr McKorley interacted with the hawkers and shared messages of inspiration, encouraging them to work harder and be confident that their conditions would change.

“I know it is not your wish to be on the streets, but for the sake of survival. It touches my heart anytime I see you on the streets. As my family and I celebrate this Christmas with you, I have special plans for you as well because I know your needs go beyond food,” he told the gathering.

Timely intervention

Fifty-five-year-old Esther Koomson, a mother of four was among hundreds of street hawkers who thronged the Okponglo Traffic Light to meet the team.

Esther, who has been selling plantain chips on the streets for the past 25 years to raise her children, said she could not miss the opportunity, describing the exercise as a timely intervention.

“Sales have been bad for some time now to the extent that buying some drinks for my children this Christmas has been difficult because I have loads of needs to provide. This gesture is not just a gift, it is a big celebration for me and my children,” she remarked.

“The street is hard. We are exposed to so many inhuman conditions. Sometimes we feel nobody cares about us. The gesture done us by Chairman gives us hope that somebody somewhere cares about us,” fifteen-year old Alfred Logo, a windshield wiper, said.

Sustainable livelihoods

In an interview, Dr McKorley described the buzz and euphoria that characterised every stop as overwhelming.

He said the move was not only to celebrate the season with the homeless but to ascertain their needs and device interventions that would offer them sustainable jobs and income.

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McDAN DONATES GHC 30,000 TO OIC, GHANA

The Chairman of McDan Group and McDan Foundation, Dr. Daniel McKorley has donated cash of GHC 30,000 to Opportunities Industrialization Center, Ghana (OICG) to support the Training Center acquire modern equipment for technical & vocational training of Students.

Dr McKorley made the donation at the 44th Certification Day Celebration of OICG as the Special Guest of Honour. In his opening remarks, Dr. McKorley while congratulating the graduands, emphasized the critical importance of Technical and Vocational training to Ghana’s development. He encouraged the new graduands to set high standards for themselves in all their endeavours and work with high moral integrity. He called for a deliberate National paradigm shift from grammarian style of education to vocational and technical skill education in order to reduce growing youth unemployment and create wealth for the economy.

He urged the Government and Corporate Ghana to support OIC Ghana to train more Youth with hands- on technical and vocational skill development. As he puts ‘it is high time the Ministry of Education and GetFund provide infrastructural support to OIC Ghana so they can expand their operations and make meaningful contributions to the development of manpower needs of the economy’. Dr. McKorley advised Ghanaians to put premium on Vocational education because that is the best way to develop our Country. McDan employs a lot of artisans, tilers, painters who are earning over GHC15,000 a month. McDan will ‘continue to support hardworking, determined Youth with the needed funding and mentorship to grow their businesses but will never give money to lazy people’.

In his closing remarks, Dr. McKorley encouraged the Graduands interested in setting up their own businesses to participate in the McDan Entrepreneurship Challenge for the USD100,000 cash prize.

Also present at the graduation ceremony were the Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Hon Bright Wireko-Brobbey ; Executive Director of OIC Ghana, Samuel Debrah and the Center Manager of OICG Mr. Mawuli Sogbey and other Board Members of OICG.

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DR McKORLEY PAYS COURTESY CALL ON THE NORTHERN REGIONAL MINISTER DURING THE 2019 DAMBA FESTIVAL

The Chairman of McDan Foundation, Dr Daniel McKorley, who is also the Gugba Naa of Tamale as part of the sod cutting ceremony process in Yendi paid a courtesy call on the Overlord of Dagbon, His Royal Majesty Ya-Naa Mahama Abubakari II at the Gbewaa Palace during the celebration of the 2019 Damba Festival. In his welcoming address, the Ya Naa thanked Dr Daniel McKorley and the McDan Foundation for the honour done to Dagbon by sponsoring the Damba Festival with Cash and assorted gifts and prayed for Allah to bless and prosper the business of McDan Group. The Ya Naa also presented a Cattle and yams to the Gugba Naa as royal gifts. The Gugba Naa thanked the Ya Naa for the warm reception and gifts and pledged his continuous support to the Chiefs and people of Dagbon. He told the Ya Naa of his plans to invest in Agribusiness in the North to create more jobs for the Youth and reduce significantly rural poverty. He took the opportunity to officially invite the Ya Naa to join him to cut sod for the GHc 680,000 six(6) Unit Classroom block, office and library for the people of Yendi.

At the Sod Cutting ceremony, witnessed by enthusiastic school children amidst drumming and dancing, the Ya Naa profusely thanked the McDan Foundation for the huge investment in education for the Youth of Dagbon. The Ya Naa was full of praise for the Chairman of the McDan Foundation, Dr Daniel McKorley for fulfilling his promise. Dr McKorley reiterated the determination of the McDan Foundation to work with Government to remove more Schools under trees. As he puts it ‘quality education includes children having access to modern facilities like School building. Education is of strategic importance to every Nation and it is critical we all support the Government by contributing our quota to empowering more Children especially in deprived communities to acquire relevant knowledge and skill set for national development”. He encouraged the youth to take their education very serious as the future is open to people with the right attitude and skill set. He assured the Ya Naa of his resolve to complete the entire building project within 90 days and encouraged the School authorities to co-operate with the Contractor for a successful project.

The Headmaster of the School, Adam Muhammad Awal , also thanked Dr McKorley and his Foundation for the kind gesture. Also present during the Sod cutting ceremony were the sub Chiefs of Dagbon, Mr Farouk Aliu Mahama, Mr Richard Torku, Mr Frank Oduro, Mr Kelvin Atuguba and the District Director of Education, Alhaji Alhassan Mustapha.

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McDAN FOUNDATION CUTS SOD FOR 6 UNIT CLASSROOM BLOCK @ YENDI and pays Courtesy Call on Ya Naa.

The Chairman of McDan Foundation, Dr Daniel McKorley, who is also the Gugba Naa of Tamale as part of the sod cutting ceremony process in Yendi paid a courtesy call on the Overlord of Dagbon, His Royal Majesty Ya-Naa Mahama Abubakari II at the Gbewaa Palace during the celebration of the 2019 Damba Festival. In his welcoming address, the Ya Naa thanked Dr Daniel McKorley and the McDan Foundation for the honour done to Dagbon by sponsoring the Damba Festival with Cash and assorted gifts and prayed for Allah to bless and prosper the business of McDan Group. The Ya Naa also presented a Cattle and yams to the Gugba Naa as royal gifts. The Gugba Naa thanked the Ya Naa for the warm reception and gifts and pledged his continuous support to the Chiefs and people of Dagbon. He told the Ya Naa of his plans to invest in Agribusiness in the North to create more jobs for the Youth and reduce significantly rural poverty. He took the opportunity to officially invite the Ya Naa to join him to cut sod for the GHc 680,000 six(6) Unit Classroom block, office and library for the people of Yendi.

At the Sod Cutting ceremony, witnessed by enthusiastic school children amidst drumming and dancing, the Ya Naa profusely thanked the McDan Foundation for the huge investment in education for the Youth of Dagbon. The Ya Naa was full of praise for the Chairman of the McDan Foundation, Dr Daniel McKorley for fulfilling his promise. Dr McKorley reiterated the determination of the McDan Foundation to work with Government to remove more Schools under trees. As he puts it ‘quality education includes children having access to modern facilities like School building. Education is of strategic importance to every Nation and it is critical we all support the Government by contributing our quota to empowering more Children especially in deprived communities to acquire relevant knowledge and skill set for national development”. He encouraged the youth to take their education very serious as the future is open to people with the right attitude and skill set. He assured the Ya Naa of his resolve to complete the entire building project within 90 days and encouraged the School authorities to co-operate with the Contractor for a successful project.

The Headmaster of the School, Adam Muhammad Awal , also thanked Dr McKorley and his Foundation for the kind gesture. Also present during the Sod cutting ceremony were the sub Chiefs of Dagbon, Mr Farouk Aliu Mahama, Mr Richard Torku, Mr Frank Oduro, Mr Kelvin Atuguba and the District Director of Education, Alhaji Alhassan Mustapha.

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McDAN FOUNDATION DONATES EXERCISE BOOKS TO ADA SCHOOLS

McDan Foundation (MDF), a reputable Non-governmental organisation established by the Chairman of McDan Group of Companies, Dr. Daniel McKorley has partnered the Queen Mother of ADIBIAWE, Naana Adiki Adi 1, of Ada, in the eastern part of Greater Accra region to donate 15,000 branded exercise books to 7 communities in Ada on the 31/10/2019. Over 5000 pupils received the books in the following communities – Amlakpo basic school, Kopehame Basic school, Kadjanya Basic school, Lufanya Basic school, Togbloku Methodist School, Kawunor D/A Basic school and Alokpem Basic school.

The donation, which has been ongoing since 2017, forms part of the MDF mission of supporting quality education for the youth especially in the rural communities. Making the Presentation on behalf of Dr Daniel McKorley, Mr Frank Ofosu Oduro,the Co-ordinator of MDF. encouraged the youth to take their education very serious so they can take advantage of the various opportunities ahead of them. He also expressed the Foundations appreciation to the Queen Mother of Ada, Naana Adiki Adi 1 for the noble initiative of improving the standard of education within Ada. The Chairman of the McDan Foundation, Dr Dan McKorley pledged to build a 6-unit classroom block with modern facilities at Nuhalenya in the Ada West district.

The Queen Mother expressed her profound appreciation to the MDF for the tremendous support to the People of Ada and also reiterated the importance of education to the Students and advised them to shun social vices like drug abuse and premarital sex.

The Ada East DCE Hon Sarah Pobie assured the students and teachers of Government’s determination to expand education infrastructure and urged the people to study hard to benefit from the Free SHS.

Accompanying the Donation Team were the DCE of Ada East Hon Sarah Dugbakie Pobie, The District Director of Education, Madam Ernestina Nyarko and Mr Kelvin Atuguba of the MDF.

The branded exercise books contained Edu information on Drug Abuse and Menstruation for the Pupils.

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Great Britain’s Ryan Storrie wins McDan ITF World Tour

Britain’s Ryan James Storrie stunned No.1 seed Benjamin Lock of Zimbabwe to claim the McDan ITF World Tour title at the Accra Sports Stadium Tennis Court, Ghana on Sunday.

He won the final 6-4, 6-4.

 

Storrie had a smooth ride to the finals as he defeated Ivorian Abdoulaziz Bationo 6-1,6-2 in the round 32 and continue his fine form beating Netherland’s Len Schouten 6-1,6-4.

Without dropping a set since day one Storrie overcame Portuguese Andre Gaspar Murta 6-1,6-1 and set up a clash against No.4 seed Mehluli Don Ayanda Sibanda Of Zimbabwe, beating him 6-2,6-0.

First set

After each player took their serves to 2-2, Storrie brilliantly forehand winner was followed by an equally breathtaking backhand to earn three break points, and the first was converted as Storrie moved forward and hammered a short ball. The crowd at Frank Ofori centre court roared as Storrie hit an outrageous winner around the net post on his way to securing the first set 6-4.

In the second set

At 4-4 Games all Storrie steered another of those trademark backhands down the line and raised his arms in triumph to win his first ITF Futures.

 

Executive chairman, McDan Group, Dr Daniel McKorley said: “l promised Ghana two things- bringing the ITF tournament to Ghana and moving Ghana tennis from  Zone III to Zone II.”

Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Perry Okudzeto commended the ITF and McDan for bringing the tournament to Ghana.

mcdan tour

Lock Brothers, Benjamin and Courtney John won the doubles Trophy.

The McDan ITF World Tour was sponsored by Twellium Company Limited producers of Rush Energy Drink and Verna Mineral Water, Interplast, Hollard, FOX Cooling with supports from Tennis Foundation Ghana.

The winners received cash prizes and trophies.

 

Source: Ghana/Joy Sports
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Tennis: McDan ITF World Tour launched

The McDan ITF World Tour tennis is set to take place following a successful launch on Easter Friday, 29 April 2019.

The McDan ITF World Tour is an upgrade of the annual McDan West Africa Open tournament sponsored by the McDan Group of Companies led by Dr Daniel McKorley.

This year’s tournament has been made possible by the McDan Foundation in collaboration with the Ghana Tennis Federation and Tennis Foundation Ghana. It is scheduled from April 29 to May 4 at the Accra Stadium.

And to ensure its high stakes, organizers of the prestigious event have increased the prize money to $15,000.

The winner of the Men’s Singles event will pocket US$2,160, representing 14.40 per cent of the total prize package with the runner-up taking home US$ 1,272.

Semi-finalists, he said, will earn US$753; quarterfinalists will take US$438; a round of 16 players will earn US$258 with a round of 32 players taking home US$156.

In the Doubles event, the winning duo will take home US$930; finalists will earn US$540; semi-finalists taking home US$324; quarterfinalists will earn US$192 and US$108 for the round of 16 participants.

Ghana Tennis  Federation (GTF) president, Isaac Aboagye Duah commended organizers of the McDan Open which started in 2014 and it has succeeded in reviving the sport.

 

He pointed out that McDan’s ingenuity to acquire ITF status should be highly commended.

To him, the forthcoming international tourneys where players will participate for ITF/ATP points and money is welcoming news to the Federation after many years of absence in Ghana.

According to the GTF President, the tourney is opened to players across the globe.

Mcdan Foundation, head of marketing,  Gerald Owusu Ansah also said, “Organizing an ITF tournament has been a challenge for the Tennis Federation but through the McDan Foundation we have been able to secure sanction from ITF and we believe in no time we will produce  stars from Ghana.”

He added, “I sit here today instead of CEO Dr Daniel McKorley as the Foundation head, to let you know that the Foundation will continue to sponsor more  ITF tourney next year.”

Head of Marketing for Twellium Industries Limited, Emelia Gyasi said, “We join McDan five years ago and we realized its a good platform for us to project our products.

“Associating ourselves with the McDan tennis tourney has projected our products in Ghana and beyond.”

The forthcoming tourney has received supports from Twellium Industries, Palace Decor, Interplast Company Limited, Hollard Insurance and FOX Cooling.

FOX Cooling General Manager, Mario  Yazbeck and Interplast PRO Elizabeth Gyebi in separate words pledged their support for the tournament.

 

Source: Ghana/Joy Sports
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Competition for $100K McDan Entrepreneurship Challenge Prize enters the final phase

The competition for the $100,000 McDan Entrepreneurship Challenge (MEC) Prize has entered its final phase.

The MEC seeks to identify the brightest young entrepreneurs or start-up business managers or students with an extraordinary business model, to reward with the prize money to establish the next largest conglomerate in Africa and beyond.

More than 7,000 entries (from both individuals and groups) were received last year when it opened nominations for the MEC prize.

The number was shortlisted to 600, and then a further shortlisting brought the figure to 60 semifinalists.

The contestants were offered mentoring and coaching before being sieved down further to 10 finalists who are now in the final phase and will be featured in a 13-week television series.

The television series will be shown on Joy News TV on Tuesdays at 6 pm, with a repeat on Saturdays at 8 pm. It will also be shown on Ghana Television (GTV) on Tuesdays at 8:30 pm starting from 16th April 2019.

With funding from business mogul Daniel McKorley known popularly as McDan, the MEC is organized by the Today’s Entrepreneurs Network (TEN Ghana), an organisation that is working to encourage the ‘create your own job’ spirit among young people in the country.

Partner institutions include the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Ministry of Business Development, National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP) and Revolutionary Minds Communications (RM Communications).

 

Source: Ghana | JoyBusiness | JAD
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