Princess Ann interacts with traders

Accra, May 1, GNA - Princess Ann, daughter of the Queen of England, on Monday interacted with petty traders at the Abgobloshie Market in Accra to learn more about their routine activities.

Briefing the media after the tour, Mr. Ekow Fletcher, West African Regional Project Manager of Transaid, an international development agency, said the Princess intended to support traders with transport and other logistics that would make movement easier for them. According to Mr Fletcher, the Princess opted to support the traders after a survey by Transaid in 2005 revealed the need to put in place effective transport management systems that would assist traders in their work.

He said an Italian transport agency, IVECO, had given the assurance to provide at least three vehicles to these traders for a start, adding that a driver's training programme would also be organised for those women who would want to manage their own transport.

The Project Manager said Ghana had, over the years benefited from Transaid support, adding that it had enabled Health Service workers to travel 70 per cent further using 13 per cent less vehicles at the same cost.

He said the agency aimed at making transport more available and affordable to developing countries and would expand its operations to Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Zambia in the next few years. Expressing her appreciation to the Exotic Vegetables Co-operative for presenting her with a portrait of a woman carrying vegetables with a baby on her back, Princess Ann expressed optimism that the transportation support would help improve their businesses.

"No business grows without transport and logistics," she said, and pledged to provide any other support where necessary. The Princess is in the country to attend the All African Transport and Logistics Conference in Accra scheduled for Tuesday.