President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed business mogul, Dr. Daniel McKorley, as Chairman of the reconstituted Board of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited (GTFCL).
At a ceremony to swear in the Board Members, sector Minister, Alan Kyerematen told the Board that Government, through the Ministry of Trade and Industry, is redeveloping the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited (GTFCL) into a major Trade Hub in the sub-region.
According to the Minister, as part of this agenda, the Company and the trade fair site are undergoing a major transformation and redevelopment., at the core of which is the development of a state of the art, international standard Convention and Exhibition Centre supported by a mix use commercial facility including hotels, offices, retail and leisure Centres.
The Minister informed the Board that the project concept has been developed, the project master plan has been approved, and a land title has also been secured. Additionally, an infrastructure developer has also been procured and the site has been cleared in readiness for the redevelopment.
He has therefore tasked the Board members to use their worth of knowledge and depth of experience to help in efforts at restoring the enormous commercial and economic significance of the Company by providing the platform for businesses to position themselves and tap into the long range of business prospects that the Trade Fair Company offers.
The Company’s Redevelopment Project which covers an area of about 156 acres, when completed, would create a well-coordinated and well-managed world class multi-purpose international Trade Fair Centre capable of attracting global trade and investment into the country and position Ghana as a regional trade fair hub, generate additional tax revenue from businesses and generate an estimated 10,000 jobs from the planning, construction to post-construction management.
Members of the Board include the Chief of La, the Chief Executive of the Company (Dr. Agnes Adu), and Madam Gloria Annoh-Wiafe. The others are Mr. Tobby Amankwah, Hon Elvis Morris Donkor, Mrs. Ruth O. Addison, Madam Cecilia Gambrah and Mr. Hubert Sevor
In a related development, the Trade and Industry Minister has also sworn-in the seven-member Governing Body of the Ghana Heavy Equipment Ltd (GHEL). The Company has the sole mission of providing reliable machinery and equipment and excellent after-sales service to all sectors of the economy particularly the agricultural and industrial sectors.
However, due to several challenges, the Company has not been able to achieve this mission. The Minister therefore tasked the Members of the Board to embark on the arduous journey to revive this important enterprise to enable it play its key role in supporting the economic transformation of the country.
He said achieving the task would require them to be innovative, comply with good corporate governance practices, explore ways of capitalizing the enterprise and most importantly ensure that they take advantage of opportunities presented by government flagship programmes such as the One District One Factory (1D1F), Planting for Foods and Jobs and the Strategic Anchor Industries.
The Minister suggested that the Board could, for example, focus on the supply of the requisite industrial machinery that is fit for purpose, eco-friendly, and energy efficient and suited for our climatic conditions to companies such as those operating under the 1D1F programme. He also advised them to take advantage of the Automotive Development Policy to nurture partnerships for component manufacturing as another way of diversifying their portfolio to revive the company.
The Board is chaired by Hon Ridwan Abass and the members include Mr. Yaw Ntow Ababio (Chief Executive of the Company) as well as Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi. The rest are Mr. Robert Bediako Asare, Hon Alex Blankson, Chief Alidu Abubakari and Mr. Prince Opoku Edusei.