Ghana hosts first Business Process Outsourcing conference

Ghana will host the first business process outsourcing (BPO)conference in the country this month.

The conference organized by the Ghana Association of Software and IT Services Companies (GASSCOM) is under the auspices of the Ministry of Communication, the ITES Secretariat and the World Bank.

The two-day Conference on Tuesday July 22 and 23, 2009 is under the theme “Outsourcing to Ghana, Africa’s Golden Gateway.” The venue is the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra.

A press release from the organizers says Ghana for some years now has been a technology leader and the ICT hub of West Africa, with its great people, strategic position on the equator and GMT timing (same time zone as the UK).

The already attractive investment climate in the country is being further enhanced through additional government incentives for the ICT sector, and the recent oil find, projected to bring over US$1 billion annual revenue, is expected to create unique business opportunities, in particular for the service sector.

It added, Ghana is also fast emerging as a major destination for Business Process Outsourcing/Offshoring (BPO) in Africa, and has already attracted a number of international players from the US, Europe, India and Asia.

This, according to the release, is confirmed by the 2009 AT Kearney Global Services Location Index Report which confirms Ghana as 15th overall ranking in location and 1st in Financial Attractiveness in Sub-Saharan Africa (out of 50 countries) for Business Process Outsourcing/Offshoring.

Indeed US lawmakers have identified Africa as a destination alternative to India for BPO.  According to a report by the Central Chronicle, US lawmakers and think tanks believe that Africa could be a cheaper destination for call centres as against India and Ghana was specifically mentioned.

Source: http://ghanabusinessnews.com/2009/07/21/ghana-hosts-first-business-process-outsourcing-conference/

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