The second edition of Made-in-Ghana bazaar, which aims at marketing products and services abroad to attract foreign direct investment, has opened in Accra.
The event, which has attracted 200 exhibitors, is one of the many strategies being adopted by the government to promote small and medium-sized enterprises and provide the needed platform, to build linkages with diplomatic missions.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, said the event is expected to boost exports, create more jobs, and strengthen Ghana’s currency through earning of more foreign exchange.
She said in pursuant of the economic diplomacy agenda of the government a number of companies have been facilitated to participate in trade fairs and organised trade missions to countries including, Ethiopia, India, Malta, Russia, Slovenia, United States of America and the United Arab Emirates.
Madam Botchwey said Ghana been at the forefront of the African liberalisation struggles on the continent and the host of the African Continental Free Trade Area, (AfCFTA) would clear trade hurdles including tariffs to bolster trade on the continent from 16 per cent to 52 per cent by 2021.
She said the government would harness the immense potentials of a rich-endowed peaceful, stable and democracy for the socio-economic development.
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, said to promote trade, industrialisation and investment, the government has been embarking on a transformational agenda and private sector development to expand the economy.
As part of measures towards that goal, he said, the government was providing physical and non-physical incentives through the free zones and One-district-one factory (1D1F) in the area of corporate tax, tax holidays, standardize interest rates, exemptions, and weaver on import duties.
He said Ghana remains a country of choice to invest and do business and called on foreign businesses to take advantage of incentives and locate to Ghana.
The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Exim Bank, Lawrence Agyinsam, said his outfit would continue to support and build the small and medium enterprises competitiveness to make the economy an export-led.
He gave an assurance that the Exim Bank would support businesses with financial inter-mediation to enable them to achieve their dreams that were in line with the government vision of the Ghana Beyond and One-district-one factory.
In a speech read on his behalf, Dr Nana Appiagei Dankwawoso I, a representative from the Private Sector, urged the government to provide incentives and capacity building opportunities for businesses.
He appealed for deliberate efforts to be made to purchase goods and services of local businesses to ensure sustainable growth.
