The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has stepped up its drive to enhance the country’s export activities by sensitising some stakeholders operating in the Bono Region.
The authority engaged about 50 local exporters in Sunyani, where it took them through the rudiments of breaking the barriers to enable them do more international trade of certain commodities and services to, among others, boost export earnings.
The sensitisation workshop was in line with the implementation of the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS). The strategy is a 10-year policy which seeks to improve the country’s export base, especially among non-traditional exports (NTEs) to drive industrial diversification. It is targetting to achieve revenue of about US$25.3 billion by 2029.
The target areas of the policy are about 17, including processing of cocoa, cashew, oil seeds, horticulture, textiles and garments, among other services.
Addressing the participants, Francis Fosu-Kwakye, Deputy Zonal Officer in charge of Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono, and Bono East Regional Offices of GEPA, affirmed the commitment of the authority to help local businesses enhance their activities to be competitive on the international market, hence, the training.
He said: “This training will empower you with all the skills and knowledge to be abreast with how to meet the requisite standardisation certification in export trade”.
Furthermore, the participants were taken through the modus operandi of the African Free Continental Trade Area (AFCTA).
The participants commended GEPA for the training, which they described as an eye-opening engagement. A leather products dealer, Kwame Amponsah, said: “The knowledge acquired here will definitely change my business operation, but the major challenge is access to affordable financing”.
