Alhassan Shani Shaibu with other stakeholders at the launch of the Northern Trade, Industrial and Investment Summit in Tamale
The Centre for Policy Development (CPD) in collaboration with the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), has launched the Northern Trade, Industrial, and Investment Summit.
The Summit will be held in Tamale on the theme, “improving trade and industries in Northern Ghana through capacity building and investment”.
The Executive Director for the Centre for Policy Development, Ismail Yawuza, disclosed that the event will take place from March 1, 2023, to March 5, 2023.
He indicated that the event will comprise of a trade fair, business summit,and an awards night to award businesses .
He was optimistic that the trade fair will create jobs as well as help improve livelihoods in the northern part of the country.
Mr. Yawuza called on stakeholders in the five regions of the North to ensure that the summit, which could close the gap between the North and the South, is successful.
The Northern Regional Minister, Alhassan Shani Shaibu at the lunch , said the summit is aimed at providing a platform for entrepreneurs and the business community not only to showcase their products and wares, but also to provide them with the unique opportunity to interact with each other and be able to build consensus on innovative ideas with the objective of achieving an improved business environment in the northern regions.
According to him, the maiden Trade and Tourism Fair will harness the full potential of the northern regions as well as provide appropriate knowledge, ideas and foresight for enterprises for the development of the region.
“It is an undeniable fact that the regions are blessed with abundant natural and agricultural resources which when enhanced would position it as an industrial and tourism hub.
The Summit will provide us with the unique platform to harness all available opportunities to effectively and efficiently maximize the huge potential of our trade and industries to meet the socio-economic development of northern Ghana in particular and the nation as a whole,” he said.
He observed that it is, therefore, appropriate that this Summit is being organized to provide businesses across the country and in particular from northern Ghana, a unique networking platform for both local and foreign participants.
The Minister noted that the existence of thriving businesses hold the key to the socio-economic transformation and development of northern Ghana and that enterprises whether small or big, create jobs for people, facilitate income generation, reduce poverty and promote sustainable growth.
“Indeed, we recognize and appreciate the strategic importance of entrepreneurs as driving forces with the potential to mobilize resources towards the total expansion of the economy which would lead to an increase in tax revenue for the State. It would also enhance the creation of more jobs, a higher GDP, increase in per capita income and above all, an improvement in the standard of living of our people.”
He reassured the business community that, the government will continue to partner with the private sector to achieve accelerated growth and the development of the economy.
Chief Executive Officer of the GEPA, Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, stated that it is the responsibility of GEPA to ensure that products of small Scale enterprises meet the quality standards to ensure that they help to promote them in the international market.
She urged all small scale enterprises working in the northern part of Ghana to work with government mandated agencies such as the Ghana Standards Authority , Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Enterprise Agency among others for the required guidance and assistance.
FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale