Ghana launches 7th ECOWAS Fair
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) has launched the 7th Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Fair to create awareness about the forthcoming sub-regional trade exhibition.
The 7th ECOWAS Fair seeks to provide the platform for businesses to position themselves and tap into long range business partnerships and develop networking relationships, to enhance access to external markets and its huge prospects.
The Fair, which would have the theme: “Regional Integration through Trade”, is scheduled for the International Trade Fair Centre in Accra, from October 24 to November 4, this year.
In a speech read for him to launch the Fair in Tamale, on Thursday, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Trade and Industry said the decision to host the Fair was in line with government’s strategy to ensure economic development through the promotion of trade and industry.
The regional launch, which was the first of four others, was attended by representatives of the Association of Ghana Industries and the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the public.
The country has been charged with the responsibility of hosting the 7th ECOWAS Fair after successfully participating in the 6th ECOWAS Fair in Lome, where she excelled.
Mr Iddrisu said the hosting of the fair was also to achieve a long term goal of establishing useful contacts with prospective buyers and importers from other countries of the sub-region.
He stressed that government would continue to formulate, develop and implement policies and strategic interventions involving science and technology and innovation to address the major challenges facing the country’s industries.
Nii Ansah-Adjaye, Chief Director of MOTI said the organizing committee was aware of the stiff export market requirements in the sub-region and the world as a whole and therefore, soliciting a closer relationship with the private sector and targeting specific products and capacity building in product development to meet the standards.
He said “As competing organizations proliferate and governments compete for a share of global markets by promoting their opportunities and advantages for doing business, putting together excellent trade fairs becomes a paramount responsibility for agencies mandated to undertake this activity.”
Source: GNA