Accra, Feb. 4, GNA - The Ghana Export Promotion Council

(GEPC) is to strengthen and enhance its relationship with new and

existing export companies in the promotion of export activities. This would include human resource capacity building through the

operation of an export school that would organise export

management, product development, market development and other

specialised trade related courses.

Mrs Agnes Adjei-Sam, Head of Ghana Export Trade Information

Centre, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency while on a tour of

some export companies in Accra on Friday.

The companies were lnterplast Limited, producers of pipes and

profiles, Ghanadour Cosmetics Limited, manufacturers of cosmetic

products and DANADAMS Pharmaceutical Limited, manufacturers

of pharmaceutical products. She said the tour was to interact with exporters and note their

concerns and challenges regarding the export sector and how best to

help address them. Mrs Adjei-Sam said this would also be a useful step to generate

bigger revenue for the exporters themselves and the nation. She said some trade fairs and exhibitions would be organised for

exporters within the year to showcase their products locally and

internationally. The focus would also be on Economic Community of West

African States including The Gambia, Liberia, Mali and Sierra

Leone. On the National Awards for Export Achievements, Mrs Adjei-

Sam said the government had instituted the Awards to stimulate

growth of non-traditional exports.

"The Awards will also be used to commend exporters for

exporting quality products and for breaking new grounds, encourage

high levels of performance by exporters and increase sustainable

national awareness for export." Dr Yaw Adu Gyamfi, Chief Executive Officer of DANADAMS

Pharmaceutical Limited, appealed for the review of the free zone

tariff on export of finish products and also for more tax incentives

to motive exporters. He appealed to authorities to organise training workshops and

capacity-building seminars for exporters to increase their knowledge

base in the export sector.

Dr Adu Gyamfi urged exporters to intensify their packaging and

marketing skills to meet local and international standards. Mr Ayond Ghanadour, co-founder of Ghanadour Cosmetics

Limited, expressed the hope that there would be more collaboration

between the GEPC and export companies.