The Rattray Park in the Center of the Ashanti Regional Capital Kumasi has been inundated with an overwhelming assortment of classy Ghanaian-made products with a variety of other services on offer at this year’s Grand Sales organized by the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited.
The fair which begun on Thursday 19th September 2024 is expected to last through the weekend and end on Monday 23rd September 2023 which happens to be a holiday.
The amusement park has taken on a completely vibrant outlook with an ensemble of well-arranged stands showcasing Ghanaian made Clothing and textiles; cosmetic and beauty products; soaps and detergents; shoes bags and leatherwear; Vegetable oils, medications and supplements and locally made foods nuts and drinks uniquely packaged for long keeping.
It has been nothing less than captivating observing how the usual fugu, batik tie die fabrics, beads, leather, hair and other locally sourced materials have been incorporated into clothing, bags, shoes, room décor and several other artifacts that demonstrate indigenous culture with an international appeal.
Green businesses recycling plastic and waste fabric into other usable products have also taken center stage in the exhibitions reflecting bold initiatives of Ghanaian businessmen venturing into sustainable eco-friendly enterprises.
Technical and vocational education and training institutions as well as private and public universities offering competitive, demand driven, market oriented courses have also mounted their stands pitching to prospective students.
Government agencies including the Ghana Standard Authority, Food and Drugs Authority, the Social Security and National Insurance Trust; the Ghana Export Promotion Authority and the Ghana Shippers Authority are present to provide advisory services and support for strategic businesses.
Addressing the media, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Ltd. Dr. Agnes-Adu explained that while the fair was primarily to project Ghanaian businesses, it also provided an avenue for businessmen to clear their stock while they work towards restocking for Christmas.
Singling out indigenous Ghanaian businesses, she commended exhibiters for the quality of finishing, packaging and labelling of Ghanaian made products making them comparable to any other imported product from developed economies.
Dr. Adu Observed, “in the past ten years, you can see Ghanaian products have seen development in their packaging. This government has been very deliberate with industrialization and boosting local production as a key part of developing the country.
“Going around you see that the way we are packaging things like the food that we eat, the nuts we consume is competitive with the packaging of the foods that come from abroad. We are assembling cars here in Ghana. We know there is always room to make things better,” she averred.
She indicated that her outfit has explored a myriad of avenues working with other state institutions like the Ghana Standard Authority and the Food and Drugs Authority, to expose Ghanaian businesses to international trends of packaging and manufacturing through special training initiatives, local and international fairs.
Dr Agnes Adu challenged Ghanaians to prioritize purchasing Ghanaian products over any other imported product as a lifestyle and not just a ‘buy made in Ghana tag’.
She insisted that deliberately choosing to patronize locally made products is the only means citizens could support local businesses survive and expand to create the needed value and jobs.
Exhibitors
Exhibitors some of whom travelled from as far as Northern Ghana expressed satisfaction with the smoothness of registration and the assistance they received from organizers to set up and settle in.
A seller at the smocks stand Anas Atibila, who arrived from the Upper East Region a day earlier was hopeful his merchandize will be bought to enable him support some 15 groups of weavers who rely on such sales for their livelihoods.
“I supply the weavers with materials and funds to produce these smocks so when I sell, they get money to take care of themselves, pay their children’s school fees and other things,” he pointed out.
Head of Recruitment and Senior Assistant Registrar of the Ghana Telecom University Joseph Adane applauded the organizers for giving ample spaces to universities like his own which focuses heavily on Engineering, Technology and Digital skills; course areas that have become inevitable to all sectors of industry.
“They are doing very well especially since we came yesterday to set up. The public that are trooping in here is also encouraging,” He noted.
CEO of Akaal Skills Development Academy Ms. Braimah Hawah whose institute had set up to introduce courses in fashion designing, plumbing and electrical skills training admonished exhibitors to take such opportunities to create business networks and to build beneficial business synergies beyond expecting a huge swell of numbers.
“For us, it is not just about the numbers. The world of business is now about team work and collaborations and that is the most important thing to us,” she indicated.
Side Attraction:
Aside exhibiting, buying and selling, the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited outlined a series of interactive and engaging side attractions including a cooking competition sponsored by Wilmar Africa Ltd producers of Frytol Cooking Oil; Fortune Rice premium brands of margarines and detergents.
Another prime sponsor is Nutrifoods-Ghana-Limited producer of Tasty Tom tomato pastes and spices.
On Saturday; the fair will create a golden opportunity for the public to give back to society by donating pints of blood to stock the blood bank of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
The Head of Transfusion Medicine at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr Leslie Osei underscored the need for the public to walk into the fair not only thinking about commerce but also considering the help they could offer patients in dire need of blood products to survive.
““I am so happy for the partnership with trade fair because we need blood every single day. I am happy it’s not only material things we are selling here but we are also thinking of health,” she commended.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Ivan Heathcote – Fumador
