• A Rose Among Thorns

    Born on 17th September 1952 in Sakyikrom near Nsawam in Ghana’s Eastern Region, Dr. (Mrs.) Felicia Boateng Danquah (nee Akotua) is the third of five children born to her parents, Mr. Jonas Akotua and Mrs. Clara Akotua.

    Due to her father’s regular transfers arising out of his employment with the Ghana Health Service, she was educated in different parts of the country, including Walewale and Bolgatanga, before entering the Komenda Teacher Training College (as it was then), where she trained as a teacher. She worked for some time with the Ghana Education Service as a teacher before going into business full-time.

    A devoted Christian and Vice President of Jofel Catering Services in Kumasi, Dr. (Mrs) Danquah is married to Lt. Gen. J B Danquah, Ghana’s Chief of Defence Staff from 2005 to 2009 and President of Jofel. The couple have six children.

    The year 2022 serves as a confluence of an important trilogy in Dr (Mrs.) Danquah’s life − her 70th birthday anniversary, the 50th anniversary of her marriage and the 40th anniversary of Jofel, one of the most iconic institutional names in Kumasi and an undoubted leader in the catering and hospitality business in the city and beyond.

    In this fascinating, yet simple, easy-to-read publication to mark these important landmarks in her life, the author recalls her early childhood experiences and family, particularly her mother Clara, who she adores, and shares the story of Jofel and its evolution to what it is today.

    She also shares her perspectives on the values she treasures that she believes have helped her enormously in her Christian faith, her marriage and family, and in building an award-winning business with the support of her family, among others.

    A Rose Among Thorns speaks to the challenges of life that most of us can identify with and seek inspiration from in the knowledge that our lives can flourish like the rose even among the thorns of life with God as our helper and beacon.

  • Inside Out: Autobiographical Memoirs

    The author recounts a journey that starts in a small town in Ghana, through an academic and professional career in finance in Canada and the United States, culminating at the Ministry of Finance in Ghana where he served as Technical Advisor to three different Ministers of Finance from different political parties.

    The memoirs depict the complexities of decision-making that combine technical know-how with political reality using several instances of policymaking and financial transactions that he led at the Ministry. For the technical reader, the author recounts a 25-year history of his involvement in many key initiatives of financial market development in Ghana.

    The sweetener in Inside Out is an interesting case study of how to navigate political transitions and maintain relevance as a senior advisor to Ministers in a “winner-takes-all” political environment.

  • The Path of an Eagle – Despair, Hope and Glory: Autobiography of Daniel McKorley (McDan)

    Daniel McKorley’s autobiography offers a powerful yet gripping insight into the life of the author and, for the first time, enables a window into his total life experiences, the summation of which the public knows.

    Having taken his time to detail his life story, the book offers a step-by-step account of his life and how the various experiences of his upbringing have shaped his current station and situation in life. His is a life of contrasts in which his successes in business and professional life sharply contrast with his life of poverty growing up.

    The overall structure of the book and the sequencing of the chapters makes for easy and enjoyable reading, and the everyday realities recounted in his words should both evoke empathy and identity in the reader. If the title of the book insinuates comparisons with the eagle and its ways, it is because the author mimics the bird in its tendencies and has charted his life to reflect the fortunes of an eagle – a fitting simile given that the author’s name means “an eagle” in his native Ga tribe of Ghana.

    This book is an enchanting piece worth every reader’s time.

  • Sand, Sun & Surprises: A Nigerian Expatriate in the Middle East – A Memoir

    Sand, Sun & Surprises is a personal story told by a Nigerian Professor about his experiences and observations working in, and visiting countries in the Middle East over 23 years. 

    The 316-page memoir includes descriptions of the social life, leisure and religious practices in the region. It captures a snapshot of the socio-economic landscape of Nigeria reeling from the economic depression of the late 1980s and the surprising contrasts with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, societies adjusting to dramatically improved standards of living as a result of their massive oil wealth.

    This book is a compelling read for those who intend to visit or work in the Middle East, or indeed pursue careers outside their countries.

  • My Footprints in Ghana’s Black Gold

    This memoir — part historical and part autobiographical — traces the author’s involvement with the final phase of petroleum exploration in Ghana, a journey that took over a century, beginning with the first onshore well in 1896. It has been a most interesting journey, with many twists and turns.

    In the early days of the existence of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, there were various myths and half-truths about the presence or absence of commercial quantities of oil and gas in the basins of the Ghana.

    • Nigeria was draining Ghana’s oil and that all that was required was for Ghana to buy powerful machines and begin to pump and drain her own
    • Ghana would never find oil until the gods of Nzemaland and the Volta Region had been pacified
    • The GNPC Model Production Sharing Agreement was too stringent on contractors

    A major seismic interpretation of the Cape Three Points sub-basin of the Western Region, in 1992, would turn out to be the watershed of this new brave phase of exploration in Ghana.

    The book was finally launched in Ghana in April 2022.

    Hopefully, going to the heart of the matter should help future generations of ordinary Ghanaians, politicians and explorationists understand what it took to make Ghana a petroleum producing country, just in case the country was afflicted by the “Dutch disease.”

  • The Unconventional Mother: How I Nurtured My Daughter with Disability into a Global Leader

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    If you think you have seen it all, this is the book that makes you stop. No, you haven’t. The extent that a super hero of a mother goes to keep her daughter alive and functional would fire you up and revise your notes about this thing called life.

    Struck at birth by an unexpected combination of strange conditions, the life of a young girl was hanging in the balance from day one. The reader cannot help but be thrilled by how a mother – in the name of God – went to battle with and against science, eventually gifting to us a world-class professional.

    Sometimes a medical journal, sometimes a family drama, sometimes a life-and-death page-turner, the episodes in this book involve diverse experts, hospitals across several countries, unusual insights on health as well as a redeeming grace of the highest order. This roller coaster lifesaving journey fortifies your resolve in your own particular struggle. When you finish The Unconventional Mother, the phrase ‘it is possible’ will taste different in your mouth.

  • Who Moved My Heels?

    This book gives provides a diverse backdrop of females in business from eleven countries. It shares deep insights on how to ignite your purpose and passion.

    The “Who Moved My Heels” classic brings 18 businesswomen into the consultation room to share their real, raw struggle of entrepreneurship. This book also collates impactful, heartfelt, valuable lessons that encourage, motivate and strengthen females starting out in business. It is a courageous collection of honest, down-to-earth experiences aimed at warding off doubts that may swerve existing entrepreneurs off-track.

    Dr. Abena Asomaning-Antwi partners with prolific authors and rising women such as Kiran Shah, Dr Aloysis Ogle, Arpita Kaul, Cardela Coulson, Dr. Nongnush Ammoury, Georgina Kelly, Arundhati Seigell, Farzana Muhammad, Dr. Venessa Moussa, Lady Charul Jaitly, Priyaa Televvane, Atiyya Dudhat, Dr. Genevieve Duncan, Vyara Tosheva, Dr. Fatima Beena, Lynette Lobo, and Fauza Belts.

  • Monetizing Your Creativity and Innovation: An Introduction to Intellectual Property

    This book seeks to contribute to knowledge on Intellectual Property Rights among the youth with the aim of promoting creativity and innovation while providing information on the available modes of monetizing their creativity and innovation.

    It introduces the otherwise unfriendly subject of intellectual property rights by using the very popular Ghanaian fictional trickster and god of all knowledge, Kwaku Ananse (as sometimes referred to as Anansi) in a conversational dialogue to help the reader explore the concept of intellectual property and its relevance to innovation; how to generate intellectual property; how individuals or businesses can protect their intellectual property, monetize and commercialize it; as well as, enforce their rights in the most practical way possible.

  • Guts and Grit: The Compelling and Inspirational Stories of Six Successful Ghanaian Entrepreneurs

    How can a nation address the menace of a growing number of unemployed youths? Why is the private business endeavour perceived largely as a big risk? What does it take for one to brave the storm and establish a flourishing enterprise? This book highlights the success stories of some of Ghana’s current entrepreneurs despite all the obstacles they have faced. Guts and Grit serves as a revelation to our public officials and the society at large towards a behavioural change in how private enterprises are seen, regarded and treated.

    The frank and engaging case studies provide the catalyst for dismantling the obstacles to achieving business success. The success stories so freely shared offer a source of inspiration and a springboard to the young people who would be willing to take up entrepreneurship.

    ***

    Guts and Grit is a book that chronicles the gut-wrenching stories of entrepreneurs who have braved significant odds to build viable businesses in a developing economy context.

    In choosing to write this book, Alex Banful, the author could not have made a better choice. The choice of entrepreneurship should not be surprising, given that there is at least four decades of scholarship to demonstrate that entrepreneurship, new business venturing, and the development of small and medium enterprises are crucial to Africa’s growth.

    Guts and Grit will soon become a leading cross-over entrepreneurship textbook that will be useful

    for executive training, undergraduate and postgraduate training programmes in Africa and other emerging economy contexts.” − Prof. Robert E. Hinson, Ph.D., DPhil.; Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Kigali, Rwanda

  • In Pursuit: Journeys in African Entrepreneurship

    In Pursuit – Journeys in African Entrepreneurship chronicles the journeys of two friends whose experiences in America shaped their approach to starting their own businesses in Nigeria. Drawing on their experiences of working, building and supporting business, and exposure to multimillion-dollar projects around the world, they uncover what it takes to own, run, and grow a profitable business.

    Through their personal insights, they relay information relevant not only to entrepreneurs and investors seeking to do business in Nigeria, but anywhere on the globe―after all, the heart of business is human interaction. Their conversational banter-jab style, for which they’re known in person and on social media, invites readers into their circle where they can share the wisdom gained through continuous pursuits to fulfill their dreams.

    Business and life intersect. No matter your goal, you’re not crazy, and no, you’re not alone! Through In Pursuit, two Bendel boys invite you to laugh, yell, and reflect, as they converse from head and heart.

     

  • The River in the Sea: The Autobiography of Akenten Appiah-Menka

    The River in the Sea is a story of courage, determination, a clear sense of mission and vision on the part of a rural Ghanaian who, from humble beginnings, has risen to the highest echelon in society as a lawyer, an industrialist, a politician and statesman.It is a welcome addition to the limited literature available on the Ghanaian elite; a must read for all lawyers, politicians, academics and the populace at large.

  • Perseverance Conquers All: The Autobiography of Kantinka Kwame Donkor Fordwor

    As a very poor boy, Kantinka sustained himself in school by selling firewood. He walked four miles every day from village, Breman, to Kumasi to attend school. He recounts how by dint of hard work, he sailed through elementary and secondary school to the Graduate School of Wharton even though fate had prevented him from doing sixth form studies. He recollects how at St. Augustine’s College, Cape Coast, he was cured of a strange disease by a traditional priest. His beloved wife had to discontinue her studies to help him complete his. Kantinka thus passed through a darkness of life which continued in his working life.

    His decision to provide a house for the Executive Chairman of the Capital Investments Board, in order to save the Board huge sums of money in rent payments, was so maliciously interpreted that he was editorially castigated and lambasted. His ingenious polices that eventually helped to raise the capital of the African Development Bank from US $200 million to US $100 billion was rewarded with his dismissal as the President of the Bank.

    He incurred the ire of his enemies for the appreciation he received from three Kings of Asante Kingdom.

    Perseverance Conquers All portrays these midnight sides of Kantinka’s life to let his sun shine brightly. His wife gave him six children any father could wish for, whom he educated as a very responsible father. Providence made him help Ghana in its financial difficulties when he became the virtual Minister of Finance during the reign of Colonel Acheampong. His input to the progress of the Catholic Church has even been more monumental as explained beautifully in the book. Kantinka is indeed the sun at midnight.

    Reliance on God, patriotism, philanthropy, hard work, good family life, good parenthood, honesty, and magnanimity is what this life story portrays. This is a book that all must have and read: the student as well as the teacher; the Christian, husband and patriot.

  • Thoughts From A Wild Dreamer

    “Thoughts From A Wild Dreamer,” is a captivating and thought-provoking book that takes you on a poetic journey through the mind of an entrepreneur. In this collection of chapters, I delve deep into my personal experiences, sharing profound insights and inspiring thoughts to ignite your imagination and fuel your entrepreneurial spirit.

    Chapter by chapter, I explore the highs and lows, the triumphs and challenges of my path. From the exhilarating pursuit of success to the moments of self-doubt and introspection, each chapter unravels a different facet of a dreamer’s wild and untamed world. With a spoken-word poetry style, I invite you to join me as I navigate through the realms of courage, resilience, and self-discovery.

    Are you ready to step into the world of a wild dreamer? Prepare to be inspired, motivated, and transformed. Let the symphony of words and the depth of emotions guide you as we embark on this extraordinary journey together.

    Get ready to unleash your magic and ignite your dreams’ flames. Welcome to “Thoughts From A Wild Dreamer”

  • Kuenyehia on Entrepreneurship: A Textbook on Ghanaian Entrepreneurship with Real Life Success Stories

    Kuenyehia on Entrepreneurship is a ground-breaking resource for students of Entrepreneurship, focusing on local content from Ghana, one of the World’s fastest growing economies.

    Part textbook, part reference book for enthusiasts of entrepreneurship, it adopts a multi-disciplinary approach, covering an amalgam of business subjects including human resource management, organizational behaviour, operations management, strategy, marketing, finance and law. Assuming no prior knowledge of business, it illustrates fundamental concepts with practical examples drawn from research conducted in Ghana, occasionally supplemented by anecdotes from global companies such as Apple and Google.

    Key to its uniqueness is a wide-ranging collection of profiles of successful Ghanaian entrepreneurs as well as sections on particular challenges for prospective investors in Ghana – local content which makes this Ghanaian textbook on entrepreneurship a must-read for both Ghanaian students of entrepreneurship and investors with an interest in the Ghanaian economic renaissance.
  • Fate of System Thinking: Lessons for Decision Optimisation – Stories from UT Bank, Capital Bank and UniBank

    With a history of over a century, the banking industry in Ghana has had periods of financial distress and has had to deal with the persistent problem of lack of financing for indigenous businesses.

    UT Bank developed a business model that sought to solve the problem of lack of finance for the informal sector. The UT approach became a model for many other financial institutions. The liquidation of UT Bank and Capital Bank as well as the appointment of an administrator for uniBank signal significant problems worth exploring. Banking serves as the foundational industry for building an economy, thus the banking challenges unearth a far bigger challenge in the dynamics of our economy. Until we have fully understood what the issues are, we are unlikely to identify what the solutions should be.

    The author is convinced that the world needs to appreciate the causes of the collapse of these institutions so as to stop fiddling with the symptoms and the demonization without knowledge of cause. This book shares the author’s personal experience and lessons from working with both UT Bank and Capital Bank. He is a financial services educator and has a good understanding of indigenous enterprises. The lessons are intended to revolutionize the way businesses are organized and how individuals approach decision making. The book will help organisations build stronger, sustainable, diverse and more effective systems from the ashes of UT Bank, Capital Bank and uniBank.

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