GIPC legislation to be reviewed

The legislation for the Ghana Investment Promotion Council would soon be reviewed to ensure that local investors interested in doing business in the country would not feel sidelined.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Trade and Industry, said this on Thursday at a ceremony to open the 17th Ghana International Trade Fair 2013 in Accra.

The fair, which is expected to end on March 11, 2013, is on the theme: “Trade and Industry, Heralding Ghana’s Economic Growth”.

About 420 foreign and local exhibitors are expected to participate and operate either within the 7,000 metre square indoor space or the 3,000 metre square outdoor space that had been allocated them.

Speaking to journalists at the end of the ceremony, Mr Iddrisu called for a public, private partnership to “transform the Ghana Trade Fair Limited into an International Trade, Exhibition and Conference Centre with some hospitality industries emerging alongside the Centre, much like what pertains in Ireland and in Dubai.”

He expressed optimism that the strategic location of the hotels within the Trade Fair enclave would provide easy and quick proximity for the exhibitors and patrons to the fair.

Mr Iddrisu said Government would seriously consider such partnership and liaise with the traditional authorities so as to pay adequate compensation to the traditional leaders.

Naval Capt Rtd Kwadjo Butah, Board Chairman of the Ghana Trade Fair Limited, said the proposed first phase of the transformation of the Fair would cost 1.1 billion dollars.

He said management had intended to demolish the current structures so as to erect suitable ones in their stead.

Naval Capt Rtd Butah said shopping malls, offices, meeting halls, exhibition centres and hotels would be particularly built around the lake.

Source: GNA