Int’l Chamber of Commerce Ghana pays tribute to Alhaji Banda

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Ghana has eulogised Alhaji Asoma Banda, saying his life's work remains a beacon for future generations of entrepreneurs and leaders. 

Alhaji Asoma Banda, Founding Chairman of ICC Ghana and an entrepreneur extraordinaire, died on March 1, 2025. He was 91.

The tribute, under the hand of Mr Emmanuel Doni Kwame, Secretary General of ICC Ghana, and copied to the Ghana News Agency(GNA), recounted some of the achievements of the business mogul, who touched many lives in Ghana and abroad.

ICC

“Sadly, we had to succumb to the implications of the news of the last voyage on earth of the transport mogul that Alhaji Asoma Abu Banda, our founder and prime mover, was.

“In the run-up to Ghana's independence, Alhaji was known to have taken on the gruelling task of buying cattle from the Sahel provinces of our sub-region and transporting them to Kumasi.

This underscored for him, firsthand, the undeniable need to adopt cooperation as a key factor in promoting international commerce, even during those days.

“A fully-fledged pioneering force in international shipping, land transport and aviation, Alhaji Banda exemplified fortitude, the very principles upon which the ICC International was founded, namely promoting trade, fostering economic growth and advancing global prosperity,” it said.

Commerce

Through his visionary leadership, he strengthened Ghana's position as a key player in international commerce, bridging markets and connecting industries with an unwavering commitment to excellence.

In this context, he regularly gathered a small group of lawyers and other well-established professionals to prepare for the formation of ICC Ghana.

With ICC Ghana, tireless effort went into “open international trade and investment systems that foster peace, prosperity and opportunity for all,” with phenomenal results.

Indeed, Alhaji passed away while preparing for the Second ICC Ghana Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Day (ADR).

As the founder of ICC Ghana, a fitting award was planned to be presented to him at the event.

However, it has since been given to his widow, Mrs Baaba Banda, posthumously at their home.

In shipping specifically, Alhaji's contributions were monumental, establishing Ghana as a strategic hub in global maritime trade.

His influence on land transport revolutionised mobility, enabling the effortless movement of goods and people.

In aviation, he championed connectivity, expanding Ghana's presence in the skies and linking businesses across continents.

Beyond his corporate success, Alhaji Banda's philanthropic legacy was unparalleled.

His investments in education, healthcare and social development transformed countless lives.

He recognised that true progress is measured not just by economic success but also by supporting society's most vulnerable.

His generosity and commitment to humanity reflected the highest ideals of ethical business leadership.

Principles

The ICC Ghana reaffirms its commitment to the principles he so passionately upheld—free and fair trade, business integrity and sustainable development.

His life's work remains a beacon for future generations of entrepreneurs and leaders.

His insistence on placing Ghana first whenever he could was immortalised in his submission to the World Council of the International Chamber of Commerce on the appointment of the Secretary-General at the ICC Headquarters in Paris, John Danilovich, Former CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

His impact on land transport revolutionised mobility, facilitating the seamless movement of goods and people.

Philanthropy

Beyond his corporate success, Alhaji Banda's philanthropic legacy was unparalleled. His investments in education, healthcare and social development transformed countless lives.

He understood that true progress is measured not only by economic success but also by the upliftment of society's most vulnerable.

His generosity and service to humanity reflected the highest ideals of ethical business leadership.

Alhaji Asoma Abu Banda fell “with the abiding faith that the guiding spirit he represented and the footsteps he was leaving on the sands of time would serve as a trusted mariner's chart for all those who might travel without the fear of losing their way on the uncharted waters, land and airways of modern international trade." — GNA