Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah > Accra, Ghana > Firm Profile

Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah
4 MOMOTSE AVENUE
ADABRAKA, ACCRA
Ghana

Ghana > Banking and finance Tier 1

The excellent banking and finance team at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah is renowned for handling a broad range of key deals in Ghana. Under the joint leadership of Seth Asante and Frank Nimako Akowuah, the group acts for domestic and international lenders, banks and other financial institutions in a wide spectrum of work, spanning lending, project finance and trade finance to asset finance, derivatives and debt restructuring. The department is also highly regarded for advising on the financing aspects of infrastructure, energy, natural resources, power and manufacturing projects. Regulatory work is also covered by the practice, which also works in tandem with prominent international law firms on multi-jurisdictional mandates. Senior associate Sophia Sena Berdie is a name to note.

Practice head(s):

Seth Asante; Frank Nimaako Akowuah

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘Very reliable and professional.’

Key clients

Standard Chartered Bank

Africa Trade Finance Limited

EDFI Management Company SA

GCB Bank PLC

Norfund

Apple Bank for Savings

Absa Bank

Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij Voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V.

J.P Morgan

Citibank

Work highlights

  • Advised Norfund on the provision of a $10.3m convertible secure loan to Miniplast Limited.
  • Advised Absa Ghana on providing a $8m senior secured term loan facility to Ghanaian subsidiaries of Moove Ghana BV to finance the purchase of light passenger vehicles.
  • Acted as Ghanaian legal counsel for Standard Chartered Bank in connection with a $1.3bn receivables-backed trade finance facility issued to Ghana Cocoa Board.

Ghana > Capital markets Tier 1

The impressive team at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah ‘exhibits a great depth of legal and market knowledge’, and is co-led by Seth Asante and Frank Nimako Akowuah. The group is very well known for handling the full range of equity and debt capital markets transactions in the Ghanaian market and abroad. Key areas of instruction for the practice include IPOs, rights issuances, secondary listings, and receivables-backed bonds, to name a few areas of expertise. Senior associate Jonathan Amable has experience in debt capital markets work.

Practice head(s):

Seth Asante; Frank Nimako Akowuah

Other key lawyers:

Jonathan Amable; Sophia Sena Berdie; Gifty Aku Hlordjie

Testimonials

‘Strong industry industry and product knowledge, exceptional understanding of local regulations , and ability to structure innovative solutions for clients . They are market leaders in the Ghana capital markets and they have very strong relationships with an array of stakeholders, built over the years from consistent good work.’

‘The partners are very hands on in their engagement with clients’ transactions, often bringing their expertise and experience to the table and ensuring legal advice provided is top notch. The team is dedicated and proactive in their approach to clients.’

‘BELA has significant depth and bench strength, which ensures that there is always adequate resources assigned to support a transaction. The team is also highly competent, ensuring that high quality work is delivered at all times. This by far, is BELA’s strongest attribute compared to competitor firms in the market.’

‘They all exhibit the same high standard of excellence and superior work ethic. Specific stand-out team members include; Seth Asante, Frank Nimako Akowah, Jonathan Amable, Sophia Sena Berdie, and Gifty Aku Hlordjie.’

‘The team demonstrated excellent knowledge of the law related to the product we were working on, was professional, and patiently explained the issues and how a specific approach was right.’

‘Long legacy in capital markets in Ghana and they have been the legal adviser for many products including many “firsts” in the market. They have a strong team with exceptional partners with strong legal skills backed in addition to an acute commercial sense to ensure their solutions are viable and can be executed.’

‘They are a very diverse firm. Their associates are also very good. They are not cheap but worth the money in what they deliver.’

‘Commercial and legal knowledge exceptional. Strong creative structuring skills and ability to think outside the box to solve problems. Frank Akowuah and Seth Asante have executed all the key transactions in the capital markets in Ghana.’

Key clients

Factorex Holdings Ltd and Supply Chain Finance Plc

Ghana Amalgamated Trust

Izwe Savings & Loans Plc

Databank Brokerage Services Limited

Bayport Financial Services

MobileMoney Limited

Ghana Stock Exchange

Scancom Plc

Africa Export-Import Bank

GCB Bank PLC

Work highlights

  • Advising Factorex Holdings Ltd and Supply Chain Finance Plc on the establishment of a note issuance programme through a special purpose vehicle.
  • Advising the Government of Ghana (acting through and represented by the Ministry of Finance) on a proposed programme for the exchange of certain notes and bonds issued by the Government of Ghana and selected state-owned enterprises for new bonds to be issued by the Government of Ghana.
  • Advised Bayport Savings and Loans Plc on the establishment of an unsecured note programme valued at $46m.

Ghana > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1

Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah is highly regarded in the Ghanian market for its established track record in handling a wide spectrum of corporate and commercial matters. The team regularly handles M&A transactions, joint ventures and corporate takeovers, and is widely known for its strength in assisting international clients with the divestment and restructuring of local subsidiaries. The department also handles a steady workflow of corporate compliance matters, and has an excellent reputation for acting in large-scale corporate due diligence exercises. Seth Asante is sought after for handling large M&A deals, and Frank Nimako Akowuah has considerable expertise advising on local and cross-border corporate matters. Other key practitioners include Susan-Barbara Boye and Angela Gyasi.

Practice head(s):

Seth Asante; Susan-Barbara Boye; Angela Gyasi; Frank Nimako Akowuah

Other key lawyers:

Sophia Sena Berdie; Gifty Aku Hlordjie

Testimonials

‘BELA has significant depth and bench strength, ensuring their ability to adequately resource transactions and deliver high quality work for their clients.’

Key clients

Scancom Plc (MTN Ghana)

Ministry of Finance

Oasis Capital Limited

Nitron Group LLC

Vanguard Assurance

Vodafone International Holdings B. V

Tullow Oil PLC

Sanlam

Amethist and AfricInvest

Work highlights

  • Advising Oasis Capital Limited on the establishment of a $100m investment fund.
  • Assisting KG Africa with the sale of the Chirano gold mine valued at $225m.
  • Advising Boston Investments, a real estate company, in connection with the proposed sale of One Airport Square.

Ghana > Dispute resolution Tier 1

The outstanding team at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah is renowned in the market for its dispute resolution. Corporate and commercial litigation is prominent in the group's workload, and the department is regularly instructed in contentious matters in the telecoms, mining, and oil and gas sectors. Other key drivers of work include debt recovery matters, construction disputes, and contentious employment and labour cases. Additionally, the practice has a solid track record in domestic and international arbitration and mediation. Ace Anan AnkomahDaad AkwesiNania Owusu-AnkomahGloria Cofie and Golda Denyo are all highly regarded practitioners. Senior associate Shirley Afoley Otu is singled out for her contributions.

Practice head(s):

Ace Anan Ankomah; Daad Akwesi; Nania Owusu-Ankomah; Gloria Cofie; Golda Denyo

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘The Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah (BELA) Dispute Resolution team is one of the best there is, if not the best. BELA has always used the best billing technology in the market.’

‘The team uses the collaborative team approach to provide the best service. The BELA team is one of the most diverse teams with women playing significant leading roles in the team.’

‘Ace Ankomah is the leading light and thought leader in traditional as well as new trends in the industry. Nania is as knowledgeable and articulate as they come. Her research skills are excellent. ’

‘The team’s strengths lie in its professionalism, competence and diligence. The key capabilities include strong research skills and sound judgment. The team also keeps abreast with current developments in the industry.’

‘Ace Ankomah stands out as very knowledgeable, highly competent and most professional.’

‘Attention to detail. Appropriately qualified and highly experienced lawyers.  Availability of lawyers, when needed by client. Quick response to emails and phone calls. Prompt reports to client on litigation being conducted on behalf of client .’

‘Pragmatic approach to resolution of legal matters – available for a phone call or in- person meetings – good drafting skills – able to decipher the key legal issues in complex disputes.’

Key clients

Bank of Ghana

Junction Shopping Mall Limited

Vodafone Ghana

Stena Drilling Limited

FBN Bank UK

Ghana Oil Palm Development Company Limited

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Security and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Epiroc Equipment Ghana Ltd

Alwan Hitti

Game Discount World and Massmart Management and Finance

Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited

ATC Tower (Ghana) Ltd

GOS Limited (Schlumberger)

Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation

Hogan Lovells

Aviation Handling Services Ghana

Ecobank Ghana Ltd

Chirano Gold Mines

Tetra Pak Global Distribution

Work highlights

  • Represented Vodafone Ghana before the Supreme Court in a claim for compensation in respect of land valued at $16,009,920 by the High Court.
  • Successfully represented Ericsson, a telecommunications company, in a wrongful termination suit.
  • Acted for the Securities and Exchange Commission in a license revocation matter.

Ghana > Energy Tier 1

Seth Asante and Seyram Dzikunu jointly head up the practice at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah, which has a first-rate reputation in Ghana for advising on key energy and natural resources transactions. The group's expertise spans regulatory issues, power project agreements, project structuring, mergers and acquisitions, as well as development and financing issues. Thermal and renewable energy matters are a key driver of work for the team, which is also recognised for its strength in the oil and gas space; key clients include private equity funds, financial services companies, investors and prominent oil companies. At associate level, Godwin Nkrumah is active on project development transactions in sectors such as oil and gas, industrials, manufacturing and energy.

Practice head(s):

Seth Asante; Seyram Dzikunu

Other key lawyers:

Key clients

Tullow Ghana Limited

Valaris

Vitol SA

Afriprop Consulting

Kosmos Energy Ghana

Coral Energy

PGS ASA

PetroSA

Texas Oiltech

Work highlights

  • Advised Impala Terminals Group S.à r.l. on the acquisition of Puma Energy’s global storage business and the Ghanaian law aspects of the financing for the acquisition.
  • Advised Valaris on the Ghanaian law aspects of the refinancing of its existing credit facilities valued at $1.3bn.
  • Advised PGS ASA on the Ghanaian law aspects of the refinancing of its existing credit facilities through the placement of a senior secured bond valued at $450m.

Ghana > Infrastructure projects Tier 1

The highly-regarded team at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah continues to advise clients on all aspects of project developments. The group is active in work involving railways, roads, ports and harbours, as well as the construction and aviation sectors. Other key areas of instruction include complex construction projects, and large-scale infrastructure and real estate deals. Seth Asante has an established track record in leading on significant project development mandates, often involving transport and maritime infrastructure developments. Elizabeth Ashun, who is dual qualified in Ghana and England and Wales, is well versed in handling complex infrastructure and real estate transactions.

Practice head(s):

Seth Asante; Elizabeth Ashun

Key clients

PricewaterhouseCoopers (Ghana) Limited

African Export–Import Bank

Team Engineering SpA and Vision Consult Limited

Devtraco Builders Limited (Devtraco

Deloitte (Ministry of Finance)

Webber Wentzel

Swami India

Ghana Association of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS)

Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P. I

African American Male Education network (A2mend)

Baker & McKenzie

Work highlights

  • Acting as legal sub-consultant to PricewaterhouseCoopers in connection with the Update of Feasibility Studies for the Development of the Eastern Railway Line, and a new feasibility study on the Greenfield Extension from Bosuso to Kyebi and Ejisu to Eduadin.
  • Advising Afreximbank on a proposed debt facility of $65,800,000 to be issued to a project company, in connection with the construction of a floating dry dock at the Takoradi Port.
  • Assisting Swami India Ghana Limited with the acquisition and development of land for a mixed-use development project.

Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah(Bentsi-Enchill) is a leading full-service law firm in Ghana with in-depth expertise and experience in providing first-rate legal services for international and local clients in all sectors of the economy.

We are well-recognised for our leadership and stand out for providing commercially relevant legal services and innovative solutions to our clients.

What drives us is our long-term commitment to providing legal services with the highest level of professionalism and quality, as well as building our teams to help our clients succeed and take advantage of the right opportunities.

Bentsi-Enchill operates under four (4) specialised partner-led practice groups.

Our practice groups are:

Corporate commercial

Dispute resolution

Energy and infrastructure

Financial nstitutions and capital markets

Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah was founded in 1990 with the mission to provide our clients with excellent market-leading legal services. Over the years, we have built a reputation for our extensive knowledge and experience  from working on the most complex transactions and disputes for foreign investors, local companies, statutory entities and the government.

Our approach is simple. We think differently and lead the way in creating structures that meet the needs of our clients. We understand that our clients operate in increasingly challenging times and are committed to partnering with them to help them navigate these challenges and deliver the highest-quality advice and service.

Department Name Email Telephone
Disputes Ace Anan Ankomah, Managing Partner / Head aaankomah@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Energy and Infrastructure Seth Kwasi Asante, Head seth.asante@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Disputes Daad Akwesi dakwesi@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Financial Institutions and Capital Markets Seth Kwasi Asante, Head seth.asante@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Corporate Commercial Susan Adjorkor Kumapley, Head susan-b.a.kumapley@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Corporate Commercial Angela Gyasi aagyasi@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Financial Institutions and Capital Markets Frank Akowuah fnakowuah@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Energy and Infrastructure Seyram Dzikunu sdzikunu@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Disputes Golda Denyo gdenyo@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Disputes Gloria Cofie gacofie@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Disputes Nania Owusu-Ankomah Sackey nowusu-ankomah@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Energy and Infrastructure Elizabeth Ashun eashun@bentsienchill.com +233.302.208888
Photo Name Position Profile
Porcia Agbo photo Miss Porcia Agbo Senior Associate
Akua Serwaa  Agyapong photo Miss Akua Serwaa Agyapong Associate
Frank Nimako Akowuah photo Mr Frank Nimako Akowuah Partner
Daad Akwesi photo Mrs Daad Akwesi Partner & Head of Civil Litigation  
Aniela Allotey  photo Miss Aniela Allotey Associate
Jonathan Sitsofe Kofi Amable  photo Mr Jonathan Sitsofe Kofi Amable Senior Associate
Pappa Anan Ankomah photo Mr Pappa Anan Ankomah Associate
Ace Anan Ankomah photo Mr Ace Anan Ankomah Senior Partner  
Wendy  Antwi-Asimeng photo Ms Wendy Antwi-Asimeng Associate
Rachel  Apusiyene photo Miss Rachel Apusiyene Associate
Seth Asante photo Mr Seth Asante Managing Partner and Head of Financial Institutions and Capital Markets; and Energy…
Nana Ama Asare photo Ms Nana Ama Asare Associate
Elizabeth Ashun photo Ms Elizabeth Ashun Partner
Paula Q. Baffoe-Bonnie photo Miss Paula Q. Baffoe-Bonnie Assoicate
Ebo Dantse  Benjamin  photo Mr Ebo Dantse Benjamin Associate
Kojo Bentsi-Enchill photo Mr Kojo Bentsi-Enchill Consultant, Energy Partn & Infrastructure Practice Group
Sophia Sena Berdie photo Ms Sophia Sena Berdie Senior Associate
Susan-Barbara Boye photo Mrs Susan-Barbara Boye Partner and Head of the Corporate Commercial practice  
Susan-Barbara Boye photo Mrs Susan-Barbara Boye Partner and Head of the Corporate Commercial practice  
Gloria Cofie photo Ms Gloria Cofie Partner
Golda Denyo photo Ms Golda Denyo Partner
Kesewaa Dufie Donyina photo Miss Kesewaa Dufie Donyina Associate
Seyram Dzikunu photo Ms Seyram Dzikunu Partner
Nana Esi Beduwa Ghunney photo Ms Nana Esi Beduwa Ghunney Senior Associate
Angela Gyasi photo Ms Angela Gyasi Partner  
Gifty Aku Hlordjie photo Ms Gifty Aku Hlordjie Associate
Divine Letsa photo Mr Divine Letsa Of Counsel
Dilys Mbiah  photo Ms Dilys Mbiah Associate
Grace Mensa-Bonsu photo Miss Grace Mensa-Bonsu Associate
Nene Atiapa Morgan-Asiedu photo Miss Nene Atiapa Morgan-Asiedu Associate
Godwin Nkrumah photo Mr Godwin Nkrumah Senior Associate
Horace Claud Allan  Oddoi photo Mr Horace Claud Allan Oddoi Associate
Elsie Osei-Agyekum photo Miss Elsie Osei-Agyekum Associate
Shirley Afoley Otu photo Miss Shirley Afoley Otu Senior Associate
Kwame  Owusu Nkansah photo Mr Kwame Owusu Nkansah Associate
Nania Owusu- Ankomah Sackey photo Mrs Nania Owusu- Ankomah Sackey Partner
Karyn Sawyerr photo Miss Karyn Sawyerr Associate
Theodosia Tandoh photo Miss Theodosia Tandoh Associate
Number of lawyers : 29
English
Ghana Bar Association
Lex Mundi
Lex Africa