Amb Michael Aaron Nii Nortey Yaw Oquaye
Chief Executive Officer
Ghana Free Zones Authority
Ghana
W : www.gfza.gov.gh
Industry / Sector
Agriculture & Allied Services, Consultancy, Education & Skill Development, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Information and Communication Technology, Infrastructure, Logistics, Manufacturing, Power & Energy, Trade
Personal Profile
[10:06 pm, 18/06/2022] Helena: PROFILE OF AMB. MICHAEL AARON OQUAYE JNR. ESQ
Ambassador Michael Aaron Oquaye Jnr Esq is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority. He served as Ghana's High Commissioner to India in the last four years with accreditation to three other countries including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
Amb. Oquaye is a Lawyer by training. An international investment Corporate Lawyer with significant expertise in the areas of project financing, infrastructure development, mergers and acquisitions, general contract and commercial transactions.
His international business and market knowledge is primarily focused on emerging businesses and markets in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the ECOWAS region, and South Africa.
In addition to his focus on Energy (Oil and Gas, Biofuels and Renewable Energy), His practice of law saw him expanding his reach into other areas including Media, Technology, Telecommunications, Commodities and Agribusiness among others.
His work experience includes several years in both the United Kingdom and Ghana. His most recent position in the United Kingdom was at 9 Kings Bench Walk, Chancery Lane, London, where he collaborated with renowned barrister AI Mustakim on various projects.
He was admitted to the Bar of England and Wales by the Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn and later admitted to the Ghana Bar. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from BPP Law School in Holborn, United Kingdom, and an LLB from Oxford Brookes University in Oxford, England.
He worked as a Legal Practitioner at Exusia Law Consult in Ghana, where he worked alongside renowned lawyers such as Dr. Yeboa Amoa and Mrs. Essie F. Cobbina
In addition, he is pursuing an LLM in Oil and Gas at Dundee University in Scotland, United Kingdom. He is married to Maureen Oquaye, with whom he has three children.
Company Profile
The Ghana Free Zones scheme is to promote the processing and manufacturing of goods through the establishment of Export Processing Zones (EPZs). The GFZA encourages the development of commercial and service activities at seaport and airport areas. The main aim is to open Ghana to potential investors who can utilise the free zones as focal points to produce goods and services for export.
The GFZA has therefore positioned itself to provide the needed infrastructure and services for investors in the free zones.
Enterprises are free to set up in one of the four Export Processing Zones or a single factory enterprise scheme (Choose anywhere in Ghana to locate your business.
The Free Zone Act (Act 504) and its implementing regulations also provide a conducive business environment and other statutory requirements.
These include expedited investment approval not exceeding 28 working days, unimpeded issuance of expatriate work and residence permits, generous tax incentives, accelerated on-site customs inspection and assurance of wage levels for employees that would not be below the recommended minimum wage prevailing in Ghana at any given time.
Other workers’ rights and conditions of service have been aligned to the relevant ILO conventions, which have been ratified in the various Industrial Relations legislation of Ghana.
The implementing regulations (LI 1618) of the Act also makes it possible for free zone developers and operators to lease land on long-term basis from the Free Zones Authority, or propose properties they already own for the creation, development and operation of free zones.
The Ghana Free Zones scheme is completely private sector driven. Government’s role is limited to facilitate, regulate and monitor activities of the zone operators or enterprises.
The Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) is an export-oriented investment promotion agency established by an Act of Parliament – the Free Zone Act, 1995 (Act 504)