Ebenezer Koney (right) with Yaw Asamoah (Chief marketing Officer of Trade Fair Company) and Dr. Joseph Samuel Annan (left) interacting with some exhibitors
The 16th Ghana International Fair, themed “Harnessing opportunities for Ghana’s trade and industry,” has attracted over 900 exhibitors comprising local and foreign companies.
Activities have started briskly at the Ghana Trade Fair site at La, Accra and more than one million visitors from across the country are expected to visit the site.
Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Joseph Samuel Annan, before cutting a tape to officially open the fair, which runs until March 10, 2012, in a speech, noted that trade would continue to be a critical factor as the nation moves away from dependency on aid to focus on development.
The fair, he pointed out, offers exhibitors the platform “not only to showcase and promote or export potentials but also the chance to access the impact of trade policies and the various interventions being put in place by the Ministry.”
He pointed out that government would continue to play an effective role and ensure efficient allocation of resources for private and public use to promote the economy and citizenry.
Ebenezer Erasmus Okpoti Koney, Acting Chief Executive Officer of a Ghana Trade Fair Company, stated that the objective of the fair is to assist local industries to promote their products and services internationally.
The exhibition, he said, would showcase the region’s trade potentials and business opportunities for investment and growth.
Exhibitors, according to him, would be able to gain access to their target markets, reach new clients and launch new products or services to promote their brands.
Naval Captain K. Buttah (Rtd), Board Chairman of the Ghana Trade Fair Company, stated that putting together excellent trade fairs had become paramount since governments compete for global markets.
He hinted that as a policy the company was redirecting its focus on the international fair by investing substantially in facilities and structures to lift its image and attract participants from other countries.
“Our goal is to promote Ghanaian goods and services facilitate domestic and external trade and aid investments through the organisation of trade fairs, exhibitions and other commercial and social programmes.”
By Emelia Ennin Abbey
