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African Leaders Urged To Take Full Advantage Of UNCTAD

UK Parliamentary Debate on Aid Cites IMANI 



"A member of the House, Mr. Christopher Chope, asked, "Does my hon. Friend accept that it cannot be that difficult to get hard data on the extent of corruption when Franklin Cudjoe, the Ghanaian director of the Imani think tank, has asserted that $4,700 is stolen by African Governments from their people every second?"

Read the entire Hansard (verbatim report) debate by clicking on the quoted and boldened sentence above. We arrived at the $4700 by using Africa Union's own statistics of US$149bn,being the cost of offcial corruption per annum in Africa.Imani has been cited by a Judge in South Africa's Supreme Court on the subject of patents and Intellectual property, numerous local Television and BBC radio interviews, invitations to partake in international debates and discussions on Africa's development.

• Imani Director was cited by Republic of South Africa Supreme Court of Appeals Judge LTC Harms, in a recent speech in June 2006. "And, according to Franklin Cudjoe, attacks on drug patents call for more official meddling and distracts from the real health problems of the poor: tariffs, bad infrastructure, official interference and poverty. See pages 6 & 7 of the speech (BALANCING IP RIGHTS WITH PUBLIC POLICY, LTC Harms)" he said

• On June 16, 2006, the United Kingdom House of Commons cited the work of Imani in a parliamentary debate on corruption and aid to Africa- A member of the House, Mr. Christopher Chope, asked the house which included the U.K Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary for International Development, "Does my hon. Friend accept that it cannot be that difficult to get hard data on the extent of corruption when Franklin Cudjoe, the Ghanaian director of the Imani think tank, has asserted that $4,700 is stolen by African Governments from their people every second?"
  Read story here
  This was followed with a visit to Ghana on August 7, 2006 by the Chairman of the Globalisation and Global Poverty Group of the UK Parliament, Rt Hon Peter Lilley MP. The MP, who has been following the work of Imani, met Imani director with his team to discuss Imani's work and solicited Imani's inputs into a report on policies to help alleviate poverty in developing countries. The Globalisation and Global Poverty Group was set up by David Cameron MP, the Leader of the UK Conservative Party, in December 2005.
  This development led Atlas Board member, Linda Whetstone to write "So you are not only influencing things in Ghana and the US (I read the report in the Washington Times I think about your talk at the Atlas dinner in San Francisco – you are a star – well done) but also MPs in the UK, something we cant always do even when we are in London. Best wishes Linda"

  Linda Whetstone atlaser-at-globalnet.co.uk

• Ethiopian Journalist confirms Imani Ghana's impact on world trade talks in the Addis Fortune Newspaper: " Another critic of Ethiopia's land policy is Franklin Cudjoe, director of a policy think-tank in Ghana, Imani, whose series of articles are appearing [simultaneously]on the Wall Street Journal Asia[Europe & North America], a business daily widely distributed to the [WTO ]conference attendants,including 2,000 representatives of NGOs and 3,000 journalists."

Ken Schoolland on a visit to Ghana.

Ken Schoolland, author of world acclaimed book The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible, said of Imani when he visited in January 2006; "IMANI is a freedom institute of the highest calibre, making waves in a country worn down by years of socialism and bureaucratic repression. Franklin is also involved with Students in Free Enterprise-Ghana." "On our way home from the airport we called on leaders of institutes that were promoting markets in a persistent, subtle, academic manner. By contrast, Franklin is neither subtle nor indirect. He cuts through the confusion of public policies with clear, articulate passion. Franklin is a public relations genius, developing positive relationships in a political arena long accustomed to the intrigues of powerful political figures." "Later Franklin arranged interviews on nationwide radio and television.
The publicity resulted in numerous contacts from people interested in becoming involved with IMANI.)

Subject: Good Work

Date: Fri, July 14, 2006 15:34

To: franklin@imanighana.org 

Hi Franklin, A friend told me about you and your organization and I have been at your site all day. I must say I'm very impressed and delighted at what you are doing for Ghana and for Africa across the world. Lets continue to keep this hope alive, that in our lifetime Africa will com into its own. That it will begin an unstoppable journey of releasing its full potential and at the end ofit all take its place on the world stage, which is to stand shoulder to shoulder with the nations of the world. Thanks for the good work pal.Yours for Africa Cheers ARNOLD PARKER,Standard Trust Bank

Ghana Limited,Heritage Towers, Near Cedi House,Ambassadorial
Enclave,Off Liberia Road, West RidgeAccra,Ghana.
TEl: +233 21683526-30D/L: +233 21682359
WEB: www.standardtrustghana.com


Dear Franlin Cudjoe,

At the 39th Sunyani Congress of the National Union of Ghana students, I came across your article which you freely distributed to us all participants. It was only some few days ago that i finally decided to find out more about your vision-filled organization,Imani, after I read your article in the papers again. I am groosly impressed that people like you are pratically transforming society and shaping the paradigm of many Ghanaians,especially we the young generation. I must confess, what I saw and read from[the]Imani website left me wondering if I was the only one who was late in discovering such a great organization. Imani is simply recourceful to me!
As I aspire to the office of the International Relations Secretary of the National Union of Ghana Students(NUGS), it is my sincerest hope that when the election victory eventually knocks on my door, we shall be partners in promoting the MDGs and also reaching out more to the tertiary institutions as you're already demonstrating. Thanks and God bless us all.

Selorm Kofi Dake,

Former SRC Deputy Secretary/Treasurer,

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology.


Franklin Cudjoe discussing what Africa really need. One of these guys for every 10000 Bonos and we should be okay. Follow the link to his Freedom Wings blog for more hope ..

John Templeton Prize for IMANI

IMANI is the only think tank to have been awarded the John Templeton Prize twice in Africa for Advancing Freedom.

This year, IMANI was the sole recipient in Africa of the Antony & Dorian Fisher Award (Out of 180 think-tanks globally) that recognise thinkanks playing a crucial role to ensure that public policy debates are not dominated by government insiders.

A judge on the Templeton Prize awarded to IMANI commented, "I give them [IMANI] the highest points for being most specific and rigorous in applying free-market solutions to an array of complex social problems. Their submission shows the importance of using rigorously derived, quantifiable research outputs to gain credibility in shaping the policy debate. Crisp, clear, compelling data is the most useful tool to provide to any media outlet, and it's easy for the media to use, without interpretation."

 

 

Atlas Fisher Venture Grant Awarded to IMANI

March 25, 2008 - The Atlas Economic Research Foundation announced fisherthat IMANI Center for Policy and Education (Accra, Ghana) is the only African think tank among its first class of recipients of Dorian & Antony Fisher Venture Grants. More than 180 think tanks competed for the grants in this program, but only nine were selected to receive up to $100,000 from Atlas over the next three years. Franklin Cudjoe, the founding director of IMANI Center for Policy and Education, remarked: "Receiving this grant from the Atlas Economic Research Foundation is another great vindication of the important work IMANI began 3 years ago. We are determined to see that public policy debate in Ghana and West Africa involve students who should be informed by principled, non-partisan viewpoints." Read more

 

Podcast July 30, 2008 Imani Execuive Director, Franklin Cudjoe discusses government's decision to sell Ghana Telecom and also cut expenditure of its Ministeries, Departments and Agencies by half to support the economy. His co-discusants are Mr Kofi Kapito of Consumer Advocacy Ghana and Mr Ouborr Kutando, a Policy Analyst. The Discussion was held on Ghana's Choice FM Listen to discussion here.. IMANI director discusses Ghanaian Security matters in Ghana. Ghana's Police Chief in charge of Public Relations, DSP, Kwesi OFori, and Dr. Joshua Alabi are co-discussants The discussion was held on TV Africa, early July 2008. Please listen to an audio version here IMANI director discusses Ghanaian Security matters in Ghana on Ghana's acclaimed Talk Radio, Choice FM. The discussion was held  in early July 2008. Please listen to an audio version here In April 2008, Franklin also spoke to Atlas Economic Research's' New Intellectual Entrepreneurs about successful strategies for new think tanks. The event was held in Atlanta, Georgia.   You can hear Franklin's talk here IMANI director discusses Ghanaian government's intervention to reduce the economic burden as a result of high fuel and food prices. The discussion was held on TV Africa, June 2008. Please listen to an audio version here Tuesday, April 22, 2008 The ongoing United Nations Conference on Trade and Globalisation in Ghana has given free reign to misguided activist NGOs and many African leaders to demonise globalisation for many of Africa's home grown problems. IMANI's Executive Director and AfricanLiberty.org Editor speaks in favour of greater openness while admonishing African leaders to give attention to inhibiting local barriers to trade and development. Franklin was a guest on Ghana's widely syndicated and best Talk Radio, Choice FM. Please listen to the interview here. In April 2008 IMANI's Executive Director, Franklin Cudjoe discussed 'How Trade and Globalization Expand Freedom, Create Jobs, and Improve Lives" with Daniel Griswold, Director, Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute. The moderator was Ambassador Terry Miller, Director, Center for International Trade and Economics of The Heritage Foundation. The event was held in Atlanta, Georgia.   You can hear Franklin's talk here IMANI director discusses Ghanaian government's plan to deepen prisoner rights in Ghana. The discussion was held on TV Africa, May 2008. Please listen to an audio version here This week we interview Imani Ghana’s founder and directory Franklin Cudjoe, along with Elyse Speicher, a student at Grove City College, who interned with Imani last year. This interview discusses last year’s inaugural summer seminar in Ghana, Elyse’s internship and work with the institute and Imani’s recent Atlas Shrugged program. Please listen here Read two of Franklin’s latest articles, Thickheadedness on African Debt and A Libertarian’s Impression of the Stiglitz Performance.