 The 16th Ghana International Trade Fair (GITF) has officially opened in Accra to allow exhibitors from all sectors of the economy to showcase their goods and service in the Ghanaian market.
The fair, which is scheduled for February 23rd 2012 to march 10th 2012, is under the theme “Harnessing Opportunities for Ghana’s Trade & Industry”.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Board Chairman of GTFC, Naval Cptain K. Buttah (RTD) said this year GITF will serve as a nursing-ground for all networking and matchmaking to forge strategic alliances that will enable our economic operators to take advantage of opportunities in trade and industry.
He said the GTFC is redirecting its focus on the international fair by investing substantially to lift the image and structures to attract international participation that will mutually benefit our local companies and their foreign partners.
“We believe that the 16th GITF will provide an exceptional forum for promoting trade and industry. Among other benefits, it will offer exhibitors the opportunity to identify new customers and clients and also familiarise themselves with current technological trends
“Our goal is to promote Ghanaian goods and services, and facilitate domestic and external trade through the organisation of trade fairs so as to make the GITFC the focal point for promotion of investment in the trade and industry sector,” he said.
These programmes provide us with the platform to showcase and promote our export potentials, and also provide the opportunity to assess the impact our trading activities are having on the growth of the business sector, Captain Buttah said.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Hanana Tetteh, in a speech delivered on her behalf, said the government will continue to play its effective role and ensure efficient allocation of resources between private use and public use for the overall well-being of the economy and citizenry.
She said government is concerned about the facilities they are operating with, and in a due course government will be staking its position on the way forward in enhancing the facilities at the centre for the benefit of our business community.
The theme for this year’s exhibition is quite opportune at a time Ghana is about to experience an unprecedented economic take-off in its industrial development process with the discovery of oil and gas and the attendant opportunities, she said.
“We at the Ministry of Trade and Industry believe that the state has a major role in this regard in facilitating this growth and development. This is why the GTFC will provide the platform by creating this contemporary avenue for businesses from all sector of the economy to showcase their potential,” she said.
She therefore appealed to all agencies and organisations, both public and private, to offer meaningful support for the private sector as this has been identified by the government as a critical factor in national industrial growth. |
