GEPA HOLDS STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH EXPORTERS REGARDING MARKET HUB

Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA),  the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), implementing agency of the Ghana Market Hub, and Globally Cool (GC), developers of the Market Hub, have held series of  stakeholder meetings with producers and exporters of the five value chain products currently under the radar of  Trade Capacity Building (TCB) initiative:

• cocoa,
• wood,
• fish,
• mango and
• pineapple

The UNIDO/GC team, made up of Mr Joost van der Kooij and Mr Lars Jellinek,worked closely with Agribusiness, Marketing, Handicrafts/garments and Textiles directorates of GEPA to brainstorm with the companies, associations and other key stakeholders . The discussions primarily centered on strategy deployment towards a very vibrant and successful Market Hub, especially inputs from the actors and performers in the various product sectors.

The meetings with products associations started on Tuesday, January 23, 2018. Companies and associations in cashew, cassava and yam deliberated with GEPA and the UNIDO team in order to solicit their inputs and recommendations towards a credible and reliable information on the Market Hub portal regarding their individual sectors.

The meeting with root tubers exporters saw leaders like Mr Prince Edward Adu of GAFEA who is also the Managing Director for Flobico Limited (a company specialized in export of assorted foodstuffs ) in attendance.   Ghana Root Crops and Tubers Exporters Union GROCTEU, was represented by its leadership.

Discussions with the handicrafts exporters took place on Wednesday the 24th of January 2018. Present at the meeting were:

• The National Association of Handicrafts Exporters (NAHE) and New Kraft Association represented by Mr William Boglo (NAHE president),
• Mr Kweku Forson popular known by his company name Design Tekura (President for New Kraft),
• Mr Robert Darko of Novica/Kraft Export Consult and
• Madam Cynthia Agyekum (CEO of CESSA Limited & Secretary of NAHE)

Thursday, January 25, 2018 was the turn of actors in the foods and natural ingredients and exporters in cosmetics. Mr Mathew Kwadwo Nkansah of Bride Tidings Enterprise, Mr Kojo Atakora of G.C Biochemicals Limited, Mr Kwarteng Amaning of Bet Export, Madam Francisca Brenda Opoku of Solutions Oasis and Madam Georgina of Shea Nuts Exports attended the meeting.

The final day of the brainstorming had representations from other parastatals to discuss modalities of sharing information through our various platforms. Cocobod, EXIM Bank, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and Ministry of Trade had very fruitful deliberations with the team of experts together with the Market Hub Manager, Mr Banda Abdallah Z. Khalifa.

During the various discussion segments, the lead consultant of the Hub, Joost intimated that the importer portal of the market hub will have sections such as:

• Ghana Advantage,
• Ghana Products (cocoa, fisheries, fruits & vegetables, etc),
• Find Supplier,
• Doing Business,
• others.

It will house the profiles of more than 300 exporting companies from Ghana, including those already captured in the portal. By May, 2018, the Ghana Market Hub would be fully operational and active.