Ambassador Blay at the launch
Plans are far advanced to hold a made-in-Ghana trade fair in Germany in October, this year.
The fair, scheduled for October 5-9, 2019 in Cologne, will be used to exhibit Ghanaian products in the German market.
According to Ghana’s Ambassador to Germany, Gina Ama Blay, the fair is the initiative of Union of Ghanaian Associations in Germany (UGAG) with the Ghana Council in North Westphelia.
Mrs Blay said the organisers are working feverishly with relevant state agencies to organize the first-ever exhibition in Germany.
“I highly applaud such an initiative and hope it will serve as an important platform to further promote made-in-Ghana products in Germany,” she told the gathering at Ghana’s 62nd Independence anniversary celebration in Berlin recently.
The Ambassador, who is in her second in the most powerful European country, has been promoting economic diplomacy during her tenure.
She said she had lobbied German companies to establish businesses in Ghana to serve the country and the West African sub-region.
So far, she has succeeded in encouraging six German to establish factories in Ghana.
Three of the six companies signed MoU with the Ghana Government when the German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Ghana last year.
The three others expressed their intention during the German African Business Summit (GABS).
The three firms are B-Braun, providers of healthcare solutions, Knauf, manufacturers of building materials and Lapp Group, a Stuttgart-based provider of integrated solutions and branded products in the field of cable and connection technology.
Knauf products, particularly plasterboards, cement boards are in high demand in Ghana, and the company is eyeing Takoradi for its base.
“In the case of Knauf, the company expressed its readiness to build a plant in Ghana to produce these materials at West Park, a 405-acre commercial, industrial and residential development in a strategic location in Takoradi”, Mrs Blay said.
The decision follows the strengthening of bilateral ties between the two countries.
The firms took the decision after successfully participating in the 3rd GABS hosted by Ghana in February.
Ambassador Blay said the GABS was successful, with Ghana reaping the benefits currently.
“The event attracted over 750 high profile business and political leaders both from Germany and Africa who converged on Accra to explore opportunities for building economic partnerships, seeking new markets and business trends”, she stated.
President of UGAG, William Nketia, explained that the association was inspired by Mrs Blay to hold the first ever trade fair in Germany.
“I can recall with pleasure our first visit here in Berlin to welcome H.E. Ms. Gina Blay. She spurred us on with the words: I need Ghanaians, who would be economic revolutionaries but not coming in with complaints of passports and the likes. We took her by her word and steps are being taken to have the first ever economic trade fair to be organised by the Ghanaian community in Germany,” he said.
From Fortune Alimi, Berlin, Germany