RCC's should to take advantage of Expo 2003 - Veep

The Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has told Regional Coordinating Councils (RCC's) to take advantage of Ghana's Trade and Investment Fair dubbed "Ghana Expo 2003" to showcase their business and investment opportunities.

He noted that the fair, scheduled to take place in London, the United Kingdom, would provide a great opportunity for them to market their regions and attract direct foreign investment.

Alhaji Mahama said these in an address read for him by Mr Ishmael Ashitey, a Minister of State, at the Northern Sector launch of the Ghana Expo 2003 at the Miklin Hotel in Kumasi on Friday.

The Vice President asked Regional Ministers to get personally involved by leading and organising their regions to fully participate in the fair.

He expressed confidence that the fair would create the platform for existing investors to re-invest in the new and fast growing non-traditional export sector and thereby attract more foreign direct investment.

He asked the various funding agencies such as the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF), set up to specifically promote Ghana's export to give the needed assistance to small scale businesses to enable them also to attend.

Alhaji Mahama said it was his hope that the fair would help strengthen trade partnership and co-operation among Ghana's business executives, and entrepreneurs on the one hand and the business community in the UK and Europe at large on the other.

The Vice President noted that the decision to hold the Ghana Expo 2003 in the cosmopolitan city of London was a step in the right direction as figures showed that the UK was Ghana's leading direct investor besides being its largest trading partner.

The UK additionally is the financial hub of Europe, centrally located and only six hours' flight from Accra.

He reaffirmed the government's determination to promote a positive attitude toward private enterprise, create an enabling business environment and reduce bureaucratic restrictions and impediments to enable the private sector to thrive.

Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, Deputy Minister of Trade Industry and Presidential Initiatives said the Government recognised the private sector as crucial pillars for the transformation of the economy.

He said it was for this reason that they were being supported through capacity building and financing of the export sector.

Mr Ernest Debrah, Northern Regional Minister said Ghana could no longer continue to depend on foreign donations for her development.

He said it was therefore important that "we let the rest of the world see what we have here so that they would come to do business with us."

Mr Kwame Owusu-Afriyie, Chairman of the Planning Committee, said the fair had 350 stands for exhibitors and already 210 had been allocated.