District trade fairs to be held soon-Kyeremanten

Elmina, July 09, GNA- The Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and PSI, Mr. Allan Kyerematen on Saturday announced that trade fairs would soon be organized in all the districts to help exposed their investment potentials.

He said the fairs would also encourage people to patronize made in Ghana goods and as well as create jobs for the youth. Mr. Kyerematen announced this at a durbar of chiefs and people of the Edina traditional area to climax this year Bakatue festival which is being celebrated under the theme, "buy made in Ghana goods, use made in Ghana products".

He re-echoed the need for Ghanaian to patronize made in Ghana goods, stressing that, the needed jobs people were looking for could only be created if Ghanaian patronized made in Ghana products. The Minister noted that many of the districts have huge potentials in the areas of agriculture and tourism and was hopeful that the trade fairs would help unearth such potentials as well as attract more investors to the areas.

He underscored the importance role festivals play in the socio-economic development of the various traditional areas and called for unity, peace and reconciliation, stressing that no area can develop in an environment that there is no peace.

Mr Kyerematen, in this regard called on them to use the festival to close their ranks and forge ahead with the development of the area.

Nana Ato Arthur, Regional Minister, for his part, called on traditional rulers to cherish and conserve social values that would help instill discipline in the society and curb negative activities which retard progress.

He, in this regard, urged them to educate the youth to embrace cultural heritage and refrain from all forms of social evils associated with modern civilization.

The Regional Minister hinted that plans far advanced to come out with a regional waste management plan to clear the region of filth, to attract more tourists and investors to the region.

Touching on payment of royalties on the Cape Coast and ELmina Castles, he said before the next Bakatue festival, everything would be done to pay the traditional councils the needed royalties and called on them to continue to support the government.

Nana Kodwo Condua VI, Omanhene of Edina traditional area, in his welcoming address thanked the government for funding the dredging of the Benya Lagoon and was hopeful that work would soon begin on the construction of the Elmina fishing harbour.

On education, he called on the citizens and friends of Edinaman to contribute towards the Edinaman education endowment fund, stressing that many of the educational institutions in the district did not have the needed infrastructure to enhance effective teaching and learning. In a related development the management of Millicom a new cellular company "TIGO", donated a cheque for 50 million cedis towards the Edinaman education endowment fund.

Mr Tismark Inja, chairman of Millicom said the donation was their social responsibility towards the development of education and called on the beneficiaries to make good use of the money.