Ghana Trade Fair Company seeks strategic investor
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot

Accra, March 4, Ghanadot - The Ghana Trade Fair Company (GTFC) is seriously looking for a strategic investor to help transform the fortunes of the company. The company hopes that such event would make it more productive, efficient and would lead to the creation of more job opportunities for the teeming youth in the country.

The Chief Executive officer of the Ghana Trade Fair Company, Madam Esther Ofori announced this at the opening of the 13th Ghana International Trade Fair in Accra .

She further announced that the non payment of compensation for the company’s lands since the 19960s continues to be the main hindrance to engaging in strategic partnership discussions.

She added that enough background work had been done on the compensation issue; the company hoped that the government would speed up the payment of compensation to land owners to enable the company seriously engage strategic investors in redeveloping the area to bring vibrant economic activities to the centre.

Madam Ofori observed that a number of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) are confronted with a number of challenges such as obsolete equipment, inadequate working capital and erratic cash flows.

She explained that ‘In trying to meet these challenges and turn the fortunes of these SOEs around some of us have been looking elsewhere for help to move our vision forward.

The C.E.O reminded the exhibitors that, the company’s vision is to develop and manage a world class expo and conference centre to compete with the best in the world and to show the Ghana Trade Fair Centre as a vibrant piece of the international Trade centre scene in Africa.

The centre would also provide various forms of entertainment and shopping mall where families could visit all year round and would also serve as an educational centre for schools where day trips could be organised and children introduced to the latest technological developments in the country.

The centre had added considerable number of physical materials and rental facilities that would enhance exhibitions and assured the exhibitors to put the materials into good use.

Madam Ofori disclosed that the company had drilled a bore hole at the centre with water treatment plant to pump water into 125,000 litres overhead tank, adding there would therefore be uninterrupted water supply for the centre.

In her opening address, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hannah Tetteh indicated that the government would create an enabling environment that businesses require first for forging partnership with their Ghanaian counterparts.

She assured the business community that the government is determined to put in place the right structures which would create congenial atmosphere for the private sector to operate and grow their businesses.

Ms Tetteh advised the exhibitors to take advantage of the fair to conduct brisk businesses and establish the necessary contacts that would lead to joint-ventures and partnership in the near future.

To the GTFC, the sector Minister urged the management to plan and execute subsequently, programmes for specialized or sector-specific fairs in accordance with international standards.

Indeed, trade fairs are undoubtedly one of the most powerful means of promoting a country’s goods and services to the international market. They do not only bring the business community and economic operators together, but they also create a platform for the exchange of physical ideas of production, product adaptation, research, marketing strategies, product display and packaging. These are essential and constitute the building blocks or strong foundation for economic operators which want to be competitive with their products.

Also, they provide participants and visitors to fairs with the basis to make informed decisions on choice of products. These lessons eventually lead to the growth of businesses and could result in the migration of enterprises from the informal to the formal sectors of the economy as well as the development of small and medium scale enterprises.

Ghanadot