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Open for business

Updated: 2013-01-18 11:18
By Andrew Moody and Zhong Nan ( China Daily)

"Their purpose for working here is simple. Just money. When they get paid, they don't go to work the following day or week. In fact they only come back when they run out of money. When we came here, we just didn't know that."

Mary Kussiedu, 27, who gave up her previous job as a nurse to pack toilet rolls, welcomes the investment by the Chinese. She lives in nearby Osuwem and travels the 15 minutes each day by car.

"It (Chinese investment) is good because it brings jobs. There are jobs here but this one is better. The 12-hour shifts are long and I get a lot of back pain standing up," she says.

Rita Avatsu, 21, and Cecilia Teye, 22, are not happy with their terms and conditions but admit they are the best that exist locally.

"The money is not good at all. We just get 9 cedis ($6.21) for a 12-hour day," says Avatsu.

"Although the pay is not good, we still prefer working here to packing bananas or peeling prawns, which are the only other jobs locally."

While Shinefeel may offer menial work, the opportunities will expand and as the range of Chinese companies coming to Africa becomes ever wider.

Wu from the Nairobi-based Pan-Africa Network Group also says that the investment is not part of a political plan but about the commercial opportunity.

"We don't even think about politics. It has nothing to do with us. We only care about business. Africa is a developing land and doesn't have the same fierce competition as in the EU or US, where there are a number of monopolies," he says.

"You can turn the question around. What is the point of us not coming here?"

Contact the writers at andrewmoody@chinadaily.com.cn and zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 01/18/2013 page1)

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