Ghana’s maiden Islamic finance forum attracts big names

A forum on Islamic finance will come off at the Omanye Aba Hall of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly City Hall on November 7, 2020. The event is under the auspices of the Islamic Finance Research Institute of Ghana, IFRIG.

The forum, the first of its kind in Ghana, is aiming to make a strong case for Islamic banking and finance whiles looking to consolidate small but significant steps taken years ago in that space.

IFRIG’s main collaborators are the Islamic University College, Ghana and the Madina Institute of Science and Technology. The theme of the strictly-by-invitation forum is The Impact Of COVID-19 On Ghana's Economy & Why Islamic Finance Is The Best Way Forward.

Director of IFRIG, Shaibu Ali said about the forum: “Being our first forum, we are keen on putting our best foot forward. Getting this outing right, means a lot to the entire team that has worked for weeks to deliver this forum.”

Forum highlight: panel discussion

The event’s highlight will be a panel discussion that has attracted big names in academia, among others: Prof. Naail Mohammed Kamil Dangigala, of the KNUST School Of Business and Prof. John Gatsi, Dean, School Of Business, University Of Cape Coast (UCC).

The other panellists include Hajia Amina Sammo, a Financial Literacy Campaigner at the Ministry Of Inner-City & Zongo Development. Hajj Abubakar Essuman, Human Resource chief at the Bank Of Africa and Fawzi Muhammad, director of GM Ambassadors.

Special guests attending

The special guest is Dr Abdul Nashiru Issahaku, a former governor of the Bank of Ghana, BoG whiles the national Chief Imam, Dr Osman Nuhu Sharubutu will be the guest of honour. Joining from Nigeria is Attahiru Maccido, a leading light in Islamic finance and fund management landscape.

According to IFRIG General Secretary Haruna Rashid Mohammed, the Accra Mayor, Mohammed Adjei Sowah has agreed to give opening remarks at the event. A number of Arab embassies have pledged their attendance during IFRIG courtesy calls in the lead up to November 7.

About IFRIG

IFRIG is a registered finance research institute whose main aim is carrying out Islamic finance research and training, as well as providing information, advisory, technical assistance and development of Islamic Financial Products and services within Ghana and beyond.

Its long term aspirations include becoming the center of research on Islamic Finance and Economic Policy in Africa whiles delivering cutting-edge research within the ecosystem.

“We are committed to building lasting structural establishments and finding solutions to the developmental challenges facing the introduction of Islamic finance in Ghana and beyond,” IFRIG noted on its website.