The minister takes a tour of the facility
THE MINISTER of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyeremanten, has launched an export trade information centre meant to improve access to relevant and current information for members of the country’s export community.
The facility, which is dubbed ‘GEPA Impact Hub’, is an Information Technology (IT) hub that comprises of computers with online resources, printed trade publications and a physical library which empowers exporters to have the needed knowledge to enter and meet standards in global market.
With assistance from agencies such as the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Plant Protection and Regulatory Service Directorate (PPRSD), the hub furnishes exporters with regulatory information in the area of quality, packaging, and financing among others.
The minister in his remarks indicated that industrial transformation was crucial to the success of the country as that was the best way to add value to resources the nation had for export.
“If we want to play in the big league, the development pathway is there for us to follow,” he said.
He tasked the leadership of GEPA and other relevant stakeholders to decentralise access to information by setting up similar hubs in other regions in other to build the capacities of exporters in the regions through the 67 Business Resource Centres dotted across various district in the country.
The Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, indicated that investing in access to information which is critical in the export development process was in line with the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS) which targets US$25.3 billion in Non-Traditional Export (NTE) earnings by the year 2029.
The hub, she noted, would also host series of programmes, including monthly events and interactive masterclass sessions with seasoned business leaders and exporters to mentor young aspiring exporters.
“It is our hope and my expectation that we will be able to drive the young entrepreneurs who are aspiring to be the big-time exporters of tomorrow, to the hub as the hub also serves as an ‘incubator’ for potential exporters,” she said.
She encouraged the general public to patronise the facility and make optimum use of various services rendered.
The Chief Executive Officer of FDA, Delese Mimi Darko, noted that the collaboration between the FDA and the GEPA Impact Hub would help reduce the stress of exporters by the creation of a one-stop shop.
In preparing young entrepreneurs and manufacturers for the African Market as the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCFTA) takes place, the CEO commended GEPA for setting up a facility that houses regulatory agencies to provide easy access to information.
“In addition to our mandate of ensuring utmost protection of public health and safety, the FDA has chosen to support industries through its industrial support department,” she said.
By Issah Mohammed