Accra hosts ECOWAS fair
The Seventh ECOWAS Trade Fair that aims at providing a one-stop platform for the display of goods produced locally by West African countries is underway at the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre at La in Accra.
Advertisement
The event which started on October 31 will end on November 11, 2013.
It is on the theme: "Regional Integration through Trade”.
More than 100 traders and companies in the manufacture and sale of various goods such as clothing, shoes, artifacts, fabrics, assorted drinks, herbs and household items from 12 countries from the West African sub-region are taking part in the biennial event.
This is the second time Ghana is hosting the fair, having hosted it in 1999.
The fair was hosted in 1995 by Senegal while Togo hosted it in 2003 and 2011. Nigeria hosted it in 2005 and Burkina Faso, 2008.
Uniqueness
This year’s fair is unique with various conferences, workshops, seminars and meetings what have been scheduled to discuss African trade and related issues.
In addition, some days have been designated as national days have for the various countries to share with other participants what they have in trade and investment.
ECOWAS market
ECOWAS has a huge market with a population of 300 million people. The fair was instituted to boost intra-community trade which presently hovers between 11 and 15 per cent, and also to facilitate the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) as well as empower local producers and stimulate regional economy.
Opening
At the official opening of the fair, the Vice President of Ghana, Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, called on African leaders to remove artificial bottlenecks that hinder trade among their respective countries.
The removal of the bottlenecks, he said, would go a long way to ensure effective regional integration.
“The participation by a mixture of economic operators is an indication that the private sector to play a lead role in our economic revival. As a sub-region, we owe it to the future generation can make sure that factors that inhabit free trade among ourselves are removed. It is only when we remove such barriers that we can reap from the integration,” he said in a speech read on his behalf by a former Inspector General of Police, Mr Christopher Korbla Dewornu.
Complex challenges
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Kadre Desire Ouedraogo charged West African counties to gear up for the challenges of globalisation and development process by coming together to maximize the benefits of regional cooperation and integration.
He said in speech read by Vice President of the commission Dr. Toga McIntosh that national and regional policies would have to be harmonised and coordinated.
For him, while countries in the developing world were struggling for inclusion, some other countries were strategising to keep them out of business, adding that “appropriate and adequate public and private will-power and involvement are required.”
Platform for networking
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, said aside enabling countries to showcase their goods, the fair would provide the platform for networking.
“I, therefore, challenge African leaders that we no longer have any excuse to defer or postpone our efforts at regional integration.
“With a population of 300 million, 54 countries and an emerging vibrant private sector, we certainly cannot postpone having a common currency and a common market within the ECOWAS region,” he stressed.
Visit to stand
Following the initial speeches and the cutting of tape and official opening of the Pavilions, dignitaries including Messrs Mcintosh, Dewornu, Iddrisu and the ECOWAS Commissioner of Trade, Industry and Mines, Free Movement and Tourism, Mr Hamid Ahmed, accompanied by the
Acting Director of Trade Dr. Gbenga Obideyi, visited a number of stalls to interact with the exhibitors.
Daily Graphic/Ghana
